Hiking pole technique to help knees?

[windmtnpete]

There's many ways to use poles for hiking and you just have to experiment to find what works best for you. For years I was doing what was described in the video for both hiking and backcountry skiing. However, this was damaging my thumb joint in my hand and was advised by my doctor the cause was overuse. I had to reconfigure my hand position and bought some lighter poles. I now hold my poles on the lower grip like chopsticks..... it gives me much better leverage and balance, my hands feel much more comfortable too! The poles used as chopsticks also gives me an eating utensil..... great multi-use efficiency.

When going steep downhill, you need to extend the poles quite a bit and plant the poles further in front of you. This helps the knees. Hope this helps.

Joint Pain: I had trigger finger in both thumbs and they became so stiff that I couldn't bend the thumbs without a painful "pop". Knees also became stiff. Doctor said I needed to have surgery on the thumbs. I began taking Omega 3 supplements along with Calcium/Magnesium and Glucosamine/Chondroitin. Results... all of the stiffness in the knees and the popping joint on the thumb has completely healed now.

[arlohike]

Okay, I've got the straps figured out, and for the last two weekends I've been practicing the every-step pole rhythm (right pole mirrors the left foot, etc). This now feels totally fluid on flats or ascents, but on descents it still feels awkward. I am trying to plant the pole before the opposite foot on descents, so it is harder to synchronize. I did notice that if I stop using the poles for a few steps on a steep downhill, my knees hurt a bit more for those steps, so I guess it is helping!

I just reread this thread and will try again with more emphasis on placing the poles further ahead when descending. I'll also try the side-stepping and ibuprofin suggestions.

[kepPNW]

Fwiw, I agree... That coordination on descent just isn't there like on flats or uphill. I "just do what works" going downhill, because the entire purpose has changed from acceleration to deceleration (or negative acceleration for the Physics folks in the crowd).

[retired jerry]

it seems like Ibuprofin is not such a good idea

if your body hurts, it's telling you to ease off

all medicines have side effects

Okay if you're an elite athelete trying to push to the limit. Or if you're in pain and tensing up. Or maybe occasional use.

[arlohike]

I tried again today, and planting the poles further in front, a little further than my stride, seemed to make more of a difference. Lengthening the poles by 15 cm compared to my uphill length made this easier. I also found that touching the left pole to the ground in front a little after my right foot left the ground in back left me well supported by the pole by the time my right foot touched the ground in front. Previously I was trying to plant the left pole just before the right foot, but planting the pole sooner felt more effective.

I felt a lot more pressure from the straps, which indicates that I was successfully transferring more of the weight off my knees. I will keep practicing!

[TJ_T]

I have had the same issue and upon some reading around found the same info: use trekking poles. While those did help for me, I eventually lost them and never replaced them. I used them in conjunction with placing my toes down first when descending to help absorb the shock in the flex of my foot rather than it all be absorbed by my ankle and knee.

With using this technique, I haven't replaced my poles and have still be able to avoid excruciating knee pain (having to sit down and rest 200 feet from the car? Yup. That's how bad it was).

It's counterintuitive to not place your heel first but once you get used to it, it's a breeze.

[arlohike]

Well, in case anyone is interested, I got a referral to an orthopedist who specializes in sports medicine and he believes the problem is weak hip flexors, which allow my knees to buckle inward when I'm tired and throw off the tracking of the kneecap. I hiked with a friend around the same time and she said she could see this in action while walking behind me toward the end of the day. So it seems the remedy is more hip strengthening exercises, which I'll work on over the summer and see if it makes a difference when I resume hiking in the fall.

I'll also adjust my cycling position over the summer, because I was originally taught to tuck my knees in toward the top tube, but this might exacerbate the problem and a straighter alignment should be better.

BTW, the doctor assured me that taking anti-inflammatories like ibuprofin or a prescription he gave me wouldn't mask a larger problem or create long-term problems. As he put it, the inflammation IS the problem.

[Webfoot]

an orthopedist who specializes in sports medicine

That might come in handy some day; can you share a name?

[Bonnie]

I have had knee problems since a horse riding accident in my youth. I use a flexible knee brace which helps significantly with knee pain. Haven't tried walking sticks.

[arlohike]

That might come in handy some day; can you share a name?

Mallik Tella with Adventist Health:

https://www.adventisthealth.org/nw/prov ... ic-surgery

I have had knee problems since a horse riding accident in my youth. I use a flexible knee brace which helps significantly with knee pain. Haven't tried walking sticks.

I have wondered if a brace would help but am afraid it could make the problem worse if applied in the wrong situation. I asked my primary doctor and the physical therapist about it and they just kind of shrugged, and I didn't think to ask the orthopedist about it.