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Home / What to Do for Knee Pain After Hiking

What to Do for Knee Pain After Hiking


Sore Knees:
Is There A Way To Manage
For Hikers?

by Diane Spicer

Run across Hiking For Her's Diane

If you're a hiker, you might have sore knees. Hiking For Her shares tips to reduce knee soreness on and off the trail. #soreknees #sorekneesafterhiker #hiking #backpacking #hikingforher

Sore knees are a plague upon the house knees of hikers.

Here'southward the truth:

Prevention of genu injury is the very all-time approach.

Already take sore knees on (or off) the hiking trail of life?

Blame part of information technology on human being beefcake: a hinge joint that bears weight isn't the best design for a hiker'due south knees, simply it'southward what we've got to work with.

Arraign part of information technology on bad habits: running, lunging, squatting without proper grade.

  • Employ these post hike recovery tips to bargain with the soreness.

And the rest?

Blame it on whatsoever or all of these:

  • genetics
  • gender
  • hormonal influences (females)
  • youthful injuries that flare up from fourth dimension to time
  • inattention to precious genu cartilage
  • backlog body weight
  • heavy backpacks coupled with the wrong footwear
  • or the phase of the moon (not too sure nigh that one).

Regardless of where yous place the blame, the question is:

What are yous going to do about information technology?


Sore knees:
figure out what you can
control or alter

Every step you accept along the trail shouldn't be painful.

But sometimes hiking pain is the reality.

If your genu pain is a consequence of a recent injury, stop reading. Go get it checked out earlier you do more than damage.

But if your knee pain is chronic (lasting more than a few weeks and interfering with your hiking time), proceed reading.

At that place are ii choices for you:

You tin can mask the hurting.

  • That's in the category of command.
  • Merely at what cost? Further knee damage?

Or use this approach
to sore knees as a hiker

Or... you tin can apply your hiking aches and pains as clues to figure out what might be done differently in your hiking routine to decrease the pain level of your sore knees.

I'm assuming that you already know how to eat over-the-counter pain relief, so let's motion on to how to decode the messages hidden in your sore knees.

Brainstorm your quest to change your knee joint hurting by paying close attention to the pain while NOT hiking (i.due east. your "off the trail" movements and habits):

  • exact location of the hurting;
  • if not pinpoint, area of the knee pain (inside of knee, superlative, etc.);
  • quality of pain: sharp, bright, deadening, achy, pounding, etc.
  • quantity of pain: 1 to ten scale, x being unbearable;
  • constancy of pain: always there beginning with first footstep in the forenoon, etc.;
  • what brings you pain relief other than medications: ice, rest, height, ace bandage, stretching, etc.;
  • associated noises and sensations in your knees: clicks, pops, grinding, or pins and needles, for instance;
  • the types of movements that you lot can't, or don't want to, exercise.

At present what?

Now that you've completed your inventory of human knee hurting unrelated to hiking, practice the aforementioned thing on your adjacent hike.

Then compare your notes.

Ask yourself:

  • Is the articulatio genus pain you experience at dwelling house or at work the same knee pain that y'all feel while hiking?

Become even further if you wish:

  • Are your sore knees exactly the same during and afterwards a short easy hike compared with a longer, tougher hike?

Given all of this data, you lot now have a baseline from which to make changes and annotation whether or non your knee pain improves.

Ready to give it a get?

Here are some ideas you tin use.


Medical diagnosis of human knee pain

You lot could skip the residue of this folio and head straight to your medical care provider.

Knee pain could be due to whatever of the post-obit atmospheric condition:

  • osteoarthritis (wearable and tear) of the genu
  • rheumatoid (inflammatory) arthritis
  • temporary or chronic bursitis
  • cartilage impairment interfering with joint motility
  • meniscal tear in the human knee joint
  • or lots of other things that you need a medical team to effigy out

Aggressive treatments such equally injections and surgery tin can be discussed with your health care team.

Note: No medical advice is being given here. Merely common sense advice to pay attention to the pain and to get to the root crusade of information technology.

If you already have a diagnosis, it'south time to see what you lot can practise to manage your agonized knees and still go on hiking.

Here are specific tips for hiking with arthritic knees. But continue reading, there's lots more!


Change your habits
and your hiking routine

Self awareness tin can be painful if you approach it as a burden. Allow'due south approach it as a fundamental to unlocking your articulatio genus pain.

You're used to doing things a sure way, correct?

  • getting in and out of bed;
  • entering and exiting your automobile;
  • crossing your legs during a movie or a long coming together;
  • carrying a heavy bag on ane side or the other;
  • and lots more examples I'one thousand sure you lot can provide.

Hither's why all that matters

Your knees back up the weight of your upper torso, transferring it through your ankles and feet for distribution to the floor or the ground.

Knees are built to withstand heavy loads, simply feel vesture and tear over decades of usage.

A dedicated hiker will probably experience some knee bug along the Hiking Trail of Life.

So assist your knees in their important work.


Endeavor these ideas

  1. S trengthen your knees with physical therapy. You could work with a licensed physical therapist on stretches and strengthening work, along with some of the coping strategies mentioned below.
  2. You canbuild stronger knees through applied exercises and weight auto work outs focused on your legs. Potent thighs go along knees in skillful alignment, and make you fix to tackle any type of trail.
  3. Use trekking poles appropriately on every hike.
  4. Use both of your knees to become up from a sitting or lying downwardly position, to bear your weight, and to move through your daily activities.

What you eat
might help your sore knees

Your daily diet might demand some tweaking to support your joints and bones.

There is testify that omega-3 fatty acids might aid with strong, sore joints.

  • Observe these in salmon, tuna, sardines and other fatty fish.
  • Capsules of fish oil are also an option.

Work some high quality olive oil into your diet via salad dressings.

  • A daily dose of  a compound called oleocanthal is what yous're going for hither.

Collagen and connective tissue is supported with adequate amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants.

  • The adept news? Yummy fresh fruits and vegetables are an easy mode to get plenty of them.
  • Or bring supplements along on a backpacking trip.
  • Sources of Vitamin C for hikers are detailed here.


X coping strategies
for sore knees

Here's a frustrating truth.

Sometimes, no matter what you lot do, your knees are going to be sore after or during a hike.

In no detail order, hither are 10 things you can do to deal with the pain of sore knees.

  1. Pain on the outside of your genu could be related to your iliotibial band (It for curt). Use these stretches to run into if it brings you whatsoever relief.
  2. Use these anti inflammatory strategies during and after every hike.
  3. If your knees are sore on the top and front, it might exist a patella (kneecap) trouble that should be diagnosed before whatsoever further harm is washed. Meanwhile, water ice and rest!
  4. Keep your knees limber with these fast, easy stretches. Please make time for them, or you volition take to brand more time for achy knees :(
  5. Have some time off from hiking. I tin can barely bring myself to type that sentence, because I know that y'all desire to go out there and hike. Simply a good long term strategy to achieve your goal is to stop hiking now and effigy out what's wrong. But don't stop moving altogether: keep using your knee joints on moderate daily walks on soft surfaces.
  6. Support your knees on the trail with well designed and lightweight human knee braces. Inexpensive elastic knee joint sleeves are another, less supportive option.
  7. Use a cane or crutch when a sore human knee becomes overwhelming. This won't work if both knees are sore, considering yous need to use the non-sore genu for weight-bearing as yous swing or bend the sore knee.
  8. Reduce your body weight, fifty-fifty by a little chip. Yous might be pleasantly surprised by a reduction in knee pain.
  9. Pay close attention to what yous vesture on your feet. Cushioned insoles or orthotics in your daily shoes and trail footwear could make an impressive departure in your hurting levels. Become rid of non supportive, worn out footwear, too.
  10. Don't make things worse for your knees with loftier impact activities: running, kick boxing, jumping, improper form for squats. Instead, substitute non-weight bearing activeness like pond or stationary biking as you cross-train for hiking.

Vi hiking strategies
on the trail for sore knees

If you're taking steps (small-scale knee pun) to keep pain levels manageable at dwelling house, and have decided to accept a hike, here's what you tin can do on the trail to help your knees.

  1. Bring anti-inflammatory strategies with you, including crushable on-demand ice packs that you tin can apply at regular intervals. Or use Mother Nature's ice, snow or cold streams for an impromptu ice pack.
  2. I'll say it again because information technology's and then of import: utilize trekking poles to distribute your weight more than evenly.
  3. Use the feedback from your knees to have more frequent rest breaks. Use function of your break for stretches to save pressure on your knees.
  4. Elevate your leg(s) at every opportunity, allowing blood to return to the heart and bring fresh nutrients and oxygen molecules to your sore knees.
  5. Be keenly enlightened that your balance will exist a bit off. Don't put yourself into situations that demand excellent remainder, such as steep rocky slopes or narrow exposed trails.
  6. Wear a brace or elastic knee sleeve (see above for suggestions) to support your sore joint. Just be sure you have adequate circulation to your tissues: remove the supportive device at rest breaks, and don't wear it while sitting as y'all are transported to and from the trail caput.

Plagued by sore calves
and sore anxiety, too?

Lots of tips here for you:

  • sore calves later on hiking
  • sore feet after a hike

What will you lot practise adjacent?

If you're in "data mode", you merely finished looking at some ideas to cope with your sore knees every bit y'all keep hiking.

If you're in "get it done style", you now have some strategies to apply every bit y'all take action to manage, and cope with, your genu pain both at home and on the trail.

If you're in denial, you'll probably keep hiking with your sore knees.

  • Not doing something to modify is actually doing something.
  • In this example, something that might cause further damage.

So equally yous choose an approach to deal with your sore knees, you take my very all-time wishes for pain gratis hiking in the beautiful places of the globe, like Mount Rainier in Washington Land, Usa.

Mt. Rainier in all of her glaciated glory Mount Rainier is calling your name!

Just trying to sneak in a niggling motivation to exercise the correct matter ;)

  • Mount Rainier hiking tips here

Domicile page > Best Hiking Tips >

Sore Knees And Hiking


About the writer

Diane is the founder of Hiking For Her.

She's been on a hiking trail somewhere in the earth for 5+ decades & loves to share her all-time hiking tips right here.

Hiking For Her: Hiking tips you lot can trust!

As an Amazon Associate Hiking For Her earns from qualifying purchases.

This article was printed from Hiking-For-Her.com

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