Knee injuries prevention using knee protectors
Knee is basically one of the main joints that provides you the ability to walk. There are several ways to prevent or ease the knee pain (see Knee pain when descending a mountain), but I would like to dive deeper into one of the preventive measures, by using knee protectors.
I've noticed that there are different types of knee protectors out there: knee braces, knee sleeves, knee support, etc. Assuming that one does not have any knee problems, which of the knee protectors are best to prevent knee pain in a long distance hike with frequent ascent and descent trails?
Also, in order to maximize the effectiveness of knee protectors, should the user be wearing it in all situation while hiking (uphill, walking, descending, etc.)?
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In the past when my knees seemed more susceptible to irritation of the cartilage, I carried two elastic sleeves for them (cheap drug store items). Mostly they just were loose around my socks. On downhill sections I would slide them up over my knees.
Now, I did not count on these to of themselves protect my knees. Instead, I used them to remind me not to over bend my knees, and generally just be careful. After several trips that had left my knees achy and swollen, using the sleeves as a reminder worked. Again, the ‘prevention’ of injury was from the feeling of the sleeve tempering my actions.
Does that count?
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/22698. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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I'll go for a frame challenge in my answer:
If you don't have any condition (that's being treated by a professional) that requires you to wear any kind of knee protection, the best protection for your knees is using no knee-protectors.
If your knee hurts during/after hiking, this a pointer that you either use some kind of bad technique or simply over-exertion. Adding technical items to reduce this negative outcome will just reinforce the behaviour, i.e. making it worse. The proper counter measure is training - to learn better technique or just to get your (stabilisation) muscles into better shape.
Disclaimer:
If you do follow (and ideally check it by someone else) good hiking practices and do properly train/avoid over-exertion, and still have pain in your knees - do get it checked out. It might be that a/the solution will be some kind of knee-protection, but the crucial difference is that it will be targeted to your specific need by someone that knows what they are doing (hopefully, if not consult someone else - totally serious here, it happens).
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Actually, I would use knee protectors only when needed. It could be used to prevent it, but mainly if you suspect you might get an injury.
Instead I would focus on preventing by using a better technique for going up or down a slope, like:
- Making small steps
- Not going straight up and down, but zig-zag, so the angle of your feet is low. Of course the distance is higher.
- Zig-zag with small distances (like 5-20 meters, or less if there is less space).
- Use walking sticks, very handy for uneven terrain, but also for going up/down, especially when having a heavy backpack.
- Make sure you don't jump, or make harsh movements like hard heel landings, the force of your feet will be going upwards, directly towards your knee.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/22693. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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