Pain in the Knee

[HikerAmiga]

Has anyone here been diagnosed with Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome which causes knee pain? See http://healthgate.partners.org/brow...8.xml&title=Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

My doctor says to avoid going up hill for awhile. Showed me stretching exercises and will check out my hiking shoes tomorrow to make sure they have adequate support.

If you've had this condition, how did you deal with it?

 

[skimom]

yup...

Do the stretches and unfortunately I would say lay off the knee for a while.

I tried to do the stretches religiously when the knee was really painful. Now I only have to do them when I start to feel a twinge, but I do try to remember to just give it a good stretch now and again.

So far, the knee has not given me more than a small bit of trouble for the past year. Hm, hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Between tearing the ligaments in my ankle, then throwing my back out, I think I'll really freak out if my knee starts acting up!

Keep your chin up. It will go away eventually, but sometimes it feels like an eternity.

 

[LenDawg]

THIS IS IT!!! I have had been knee pains all my life. I LIVE on pain killers for it. When I was six, my parents brought me to a knee doctor who said it was growing pains. I'm not really a 'going to the doctor' type of guy. I think I'll set an appt. and mention this to him/her. Thanks for pointing this out.

Just to comment on this, I have pains that can keep me up all night in the knees... left knee is worse. I take aspirin, tylenol, ibruprofen, and/or aleve for it. Often times, after intense workouts (real long hikes or long runs, or lots of vertical gain) I have a warm/hot to touch "band" that goes from my hip to my knee. I have iced it down in the past which was helpful. I try to do lots of hip stretches, as well as stretching the big muscles of the leg (hammy, quads, and calf). Stretching helps, I just don't do it enough.

Again, thanks for pointing this out. I am convinced that this is what I have too.

 

[jfb]

That looks like something that happens to my right knee on long hikes, especially going downhill. I successfully prevent it by gradually increasing the length and vertical of my hikes, and attempting to hike at least once a month (even in the rain).

 

[chipc]

similar thread that might be helpful

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8670&highlight=band

 

[David Metsky]

I had ITB tendonitis diagnosed by a sports therapist. The stretches really fixed the problem, although it took a while, several months in total. I would be in serious pain during and for days after a hike. Now, no pain.

Lendawg, before just starting these stretches/exercises, get it checked out by a professional. Knees are extremely tricky, and what might seem like an ITB problem could be something else entirely. The stretches could do more harm than good if you have a different problem with your knees.

-dave-

 

[Snowshooz]

downhill knee pain

I've had ITBS, its awful!
I've done all the stretching , rest ,icing etc, but it still kicks up now and then..only on the Downhill after a long day...
I've used this,( Patt Strap) and its helped reduce my symptoms significantly during a hike. ..can't say that will definately work for Everyone..but its worth a shot..
Good Luck!

http://pattstrap.com/product_info.php?products_id=28&osCsid=ab1f6f89287de6f07d7066dde69e5e1d

 

[LenDawg]

Dave, you are definitely right about seeing a doctor before making any presumptions and self-medicating. My stretches are typical stretches good for anyone running/exercising. Honestly, I've just accepted my knee pains as something with which I have to deal. Not that big of a deal. They have never stopped me from doing something. The just hurt like a... well, like something that hurts a lot .

Thanks again for the advice on this.

 

[trailbiscuit]

If you Google ITB Syndrome, you actually get my picture. I've been battling it for more than 10 years off and on. So, while I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, and always heed the "Metsky Clause," i.e. don't take advice from random yahoos on the Internet - see a doctor, this is what I know...

ITB pain can be caused by a number of things. Initial onset is often caused by doing too much activity, too quickly - such as running or hiking. Pain is often felt on the outside of the knee, but the knee itself is not always the cause of the problem. In my case, my knees are victims of circumstance: poor core strength, weakness in small hip muscles, lots of sprained ankles, bow-legged and over-pronating feet. (I have great genes.) All these combined with a couple other factors cause inward rotation of the knees (if a "normal" knee points directly north, mine point NE or NW), which makes the ITB cover more distance than it should. It gets stretched, irritated, and then I cry.

So, long story short, it's definitely worth seeking out a wise and aggressive physical therapist. Someone who understands that your not a normal pedestrian who doesn't walk anywhere. (I'm just realizing this...see battling this for 10 years.) Look for someone who will not just look at your knee, but analyzed your gait, your bone structure and your muscle structure. It all plays a part, and it's all important.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[HikerAmiga]

...but the knee itself is not always the cause of the problem...Look for someone who will not just look at your knee, but analyzed your gait, your bone structure and your muscle structure.

In my case, the physician who examined me is also a researcher who studies gait specifically as he's also a rheumatologist. He clearly felt that my iliotibial band is too tight and thus recommended highly the stretching exercises overall. He also noted that I have flat feet and wants to checkout my hiking boots to see if I am getting proper support.

I'll work on getting better and though this has been going on for only a month now, I hope I can "nip it in the bud". Only thing is that I am so tempted to hike this weekend!! Maybe if I just take it slow, I may fair ok??

Thanks guys for all your advice and for sharing your experiences with this.

 

[NumNum]

yep, i do the stretches also, for me starting out slow on a hike helps me tremendously too!

 

[RGF1]

Dave, you are definitely right about seeing a doctor before making any presumptions and self-medicating. My stretches are typical stretches good for anyone running/exercising. Honestly, I've just accepted my knee pains as something with which I have to deal. Not that big of a deal. They have never stopped me from doing something. The just hurt like a... well, like something that hurts a lot .

Thanks again for the advice on this.

Len Dawg ,

Ifyou are having persistantlong term pian in your knees or any where I storngly recomend seeing your GP and asking about a good orthopedic surgeon who can look at you kenees do some test ,yes they hurt , and probably a MRI and arthograms . Igo ot PT 3 x a week and sae other paitents with all sorts of injuries that they let go to long and ended up having surgery.
I am doing a bit better myself, but still need more surgery. it is waiting untill afer I do some hikng and climbing in Colorado.
I should mention taking NSIASDs such as advil , aka Ibuprophen , aleave , aka naxoprophen , of Tylenonl AKA Acetophetamine (SP?)
yopu and any one shoud be aware that they cancause seruis stomache, kidney renal sytemand liver damage very quickly if used over a month .
I do not use thgem as much now for pain . Though I do have alot and wil not be with out it now anmd all my medications .
But it sure beats not hikng .
I am not a doctor either I just go to them alot now .

hope things work out for you.
Rick

 

[trailbiscuit]

I should mention taking NSIASDs such as advil , aka Ibuprophen , aleave , aka naxoprophen , of Tylenonl AKA Acetophetamine (SP?) yopu and any one shoud be aware that they cancause seruis stomache, kidney renal sytemand liver damage very quickly if used over a month .

Good point. You need to be careful with these things. Plus, they treat the symptom, but not the disease...so to speak. You want to make sure you're not just masking the problem.

 

[DougPaul]

Good point. You need to be careful with these things. Plus, they treat the symptom, but not the disease...so to speak. You want to make sure you're not just masking the problem.

Not quite accurate:
To a significant extent, the disease is inflammation---reducing the inflammation itself is part of many treaments.

Acetaminophen reduces pain, but is not an antiinflammatory. (Not an NSAID.) Only treats the symptoms.

Asprin, ibprofen, and naproxen all reduce pain and inflammation. (All are NSAIDs.) Treats symptoms and cause.

(NSAID=nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory)

All can damage the stomach and kidneys.

Doug

 

[trailbiscuit]

Not quite accurate:
To a significant extent, the disease is inflammation---reducing the inflammation itself is part of many treaments.

You are correct. I stand corrected. I guess my point was really, relying solely on these things isn't the best option.

But, I feel much tougher if I don't take anything.

 

[DougPaul]

But, I feel much tougher if I don't take anything.

One downside of these drugs is that by treating the pain, they encourage one to over use the structure in question. It would be nice if there were a similar (OTC, nonprescription, nonsteroidal) drug which treated the inflammation, but not the pain.

Such a drug, may not truly exist because the inflammation is a source of the pain and anything which reduces the inflammation also reduces the pain, but it is a nice thought...

Doug

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Asprin, ibprofen, and naproxen all reduce pain and inflammation. (All are NSAIDs.) Treats symptoms and cause.

(NSAID=nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory)

All can damage the stomach and kidneys.

Doug

I know that aspirin can damage the lining of the stomach, but does it cause kidney damage as well? I don't recall seeing that anywhere.

I have seen reports that ibuprofen and naproxen can also cause liver damage, especially if you are a heavy drinker.

 

[DougPaul]

I know that aspirin can damage the lining of the stomach, but does it cause kidney damage as well? I don't recall seeing that anywhere.

Search and ye shall find:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=aspirin+kidney&spell=1

One article returned:
http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/NEWS_tylenol_and_aspirin_increases.htm

Doug

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Search and ye shall find:
http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/NEWS_tylenol_and_aspirin_increases.htm

Doug

Thanks for the link. I think that article was saying that if you take aspirin and already have kidney disease, you increase the risk of kidney failure. Os as WebMD put it, "taking either of the two drugs increased risk of kidney failure for people with kidney disease."

As someone with a hereditary disposition to heart disease, I take aspirin every day, on the advice of my physicians. While they point out that I am increasing my risk of stomach ulcers, none of them has ever warned me about kidney failure associated with aspirin. But I'll ask them at my next checkup.

 

[DougPaul]

As someone with a hereditary disposition to heart disease, I take aspirin every day, on the advice of my physicians. While they point out that I am increasing my risk of stomach ulcers, none of them has ever warned me about kidney failure associated with aspirin. But I'll ask them at my next checkup.

I edited in the search in my previous post--it returns 2M hits. Perhaps there is add'l info in the other hits. (I simply scanned and listed the first hit.)

Aspirin for cardio generally uses fairly small doses. Presumably the cost-benefit ratio is in your favor unless you get stomach problems. But this is just a guess--as, usual, check with your doc.

http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/5/aspirin.htm seems to address your concerns. But the page looks like it might have commercial tie-ins.

Doug