Help With Knee Brace/wrap

[CHRIS]

After the hike up M/W this Sat. my left knee was killing me on the way down. I went to Dicks sporting Goods and they have so many different kinds of braces that I don't know wich one to buy. My pain goes thru the middle from left to right on my left knee. So I was wondering if anybody else has had the same issues and what kind of wrap or brace do they use. I hate to buy the wrong one. It only hurts on the way down. Thanks in advance for any help anybody can give me.

[Bill O]

Go see a doctor. You could have any one of 137 different things wrong with your knee and seeking medical advice from a group of Mount Washington lovers is probably not a good idea. Tips for preventing blisters yes, tips for knee injuries no.

On top of that I really hate the idea of braces, splints, pills, patches, balms or other remedies that only alleviate the problem rather than fixing it. Which is why I'm not a doctor.

[FisherCat]

Go see a doctor. You could have any one of 137 different things wrong with your knee and seeking medical advice from a group of Mount Washington lovers is probably not a good idea. Tips for preventing blisters yes, tips for knee injuries no.

On top of that I really hate the idea of braces, splints, pills, patches, balms or other remedies that only alleviate the problem rather than fixing it. Which is why I'm not a doctor.

I must totally agree.OTC remedies should sometimes stay exactly where they are, On The Counter. Wait for direction from a doctor's diagnosis
instead of self-remedy in this case. If you want to continue hiking, you need your knees. I'm only saying this because I tried for years to get by with a torn ACL, and it can be done, but what I was doing was making it worse, I needed a specialist.

[CHRIS]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to wait till after STP because I don't want to be laid up. My wife keeps telling me go see my doctor but I am stubborn. It only bothers me when I am hiking down putting more work on it I guess. I just got into hiking in fact I just did my second hike ever this time up Mount Washington . I am serously hooked on hiking. After STP I will probably go see the doc. I guess I was just trying to look for a bandaid. Thanks again..

[donnellyvj]

This is not medical advise. I hike with adjustable poles and this helps me with the impact on the way down.

[mary]

the knee is a complicated joint consisting of several structures....including bones....tendons and ligaments....there are two c-shaped pieces of cartilage known as the menisci that curve around the inside and outside of the knee to stabilize and cushion the joint....conservative treatment such as rest....ice and over the counter medication is probably a given but you really should see your doctor and rule out any serious problem and you should probably do it before your next hike....think about how important your knees are....good luck....

[Caffeine Addict]

hey chris i hope all works out for you so you can get back out on the trails

joe

[CHRIS]

I have an appointment for my knee on Tuesday but after reading more trip reports I am having hiking withdrawels. I am hooked and can't wait to get back out there. Of couse my wife says " I ain't going nowhere till I see the doc". She is right of course. I just hope I do not need surgery because that would lay me up for a while but at least it will be all set (hopefully) for STP09.

[CHRIS]

I went to the docs. today and he is sending me for an Mri. From the xrays everything looks good but when he started poking and squezzing around I almost left the bed I was laying on. He believes it might be torn cartilage but he wont be able to tell me until he sees the Mri. He gave me another appointment Sept. 16th to go over the mri but says I can still hike as long as it is all flat. He's a funny guy I have never seen a mountain flat. This really sucks because I am having all kinds of withdrawals reading everybody elses trail reports. This is going to be a long month.

[Charlie]

this may help

i was on a hike today that was so flat i had to stop and take the arch supports out of my shoes so i did not think i was hiking up hill