Shannon-UT

I certainly have done more biking than hiking this spring/summer season. However when I do hike I get serious pains in the area around the knee. Like someone stabbed a knife in my muscle and extreme tightness, very hot and inflammed. I can bend my knee but only with great pain. I do have some iliotibial band issues in my hip primarily, which I've been doing stretched and exercies given to me by a PT. I have a theory it may be something to do with the ITB.

When I hike for a little bit on varied terrain, it almost feels like from my knee down someone has twisted my leg 360 degrees and I'm walking around like that. That's an extreme description, but kind of how it feels. Mainly in the right knee, but can happen in both knees.

I don't get this pain when biking, and I even bike quite a bit and on some really challenging terrain. I do a warm up and stretch when I do any physical activity. I also drink and eat something before I do activities.

I'm thinking my hiking muscles aren't as developed at my biking muscles? Does this sound right? It's not like I'm NOT using my top thigh muscles/knee muscles when I bike, because I do quite a bit.

Any clues anyone? Last 2x I did big hikes, I was so crippled with pain that I barely made it back to the car. Also I am allergic to all NSAIDs (non-steroidal anit-inflammatory drugs). So only Tylenol for me. But nothing of the sort when I bike.:confused:

Ebbtide

Bikes =low impact

Hiking=higher impact

You might try some weight training to get your knees/legs/connecting tissue up to par and ready for the hikes. Starting off with short distances may help too. The severe pain is not normal either, get it checked by a doctor, You might have some torn tissue that never healed right, or is aggravated by hiking.

My brother was an avid back country back packer in his youth. After two knee surgeries biking seems to work well for him.

Hope this helps

MisterJ

Lets keep it simple. Check out your hiking shoes. You may need some custom orthotics to address a pronation problem.

cbhungry

hard to tell by your history and description but check this link out and see if it sounds like you.

https://www.jointhealing.com/pages/knee/bakers_cyst.html

https://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/901226567.html

soounds like you just need to bike exclusively!!! I have bad knees too (suprpatellar syndrome) so I'm in agony when i go on long hikes.

Patch29

I went for an eight mile hike yesterday (a couple big hills) and did notice my quads and lower leg muscle (below my calfs) was a little bit more sore/tired than I would expect. I have been mainly on the bike and weight lifting. It was not a major discomfort, just felt like those muscles in particular were getting tired more easily. I guess I need to bike and hike more. No real pain or soreness the day after either.

Shannon-UT

It doesn't sound like the Baker's cyst, because I don't recall back of the knee pain. Though fluid build up could be a symptom. It's not soreness, it's crippling pain like I can barely walk, like bring me to tears with pain.

I think I'll just go to the doctor. But it's hard when the problem doesn't really come up until I hike.

I do where shoe inserts, they're not custom made however. It was suggested by my doctor that I get the inserts when I was in his office last year. But this was for bursitis of the knee (which I no longer have). I did not have this NEW pain related to hiking when I was in his office last year or else I would have mentioned it.

I could have torn something. The hike that I first experienced this pain was on the Bright Angle trail of the GC this May. It's a doozy. Or it could be my ITB just inflammed.

nathank

i've never really had SO much of a problem hiking (had overuse knee injury from running a few years ago)...

but i do occaisionally (for example last week) have some pain in the knees when hiking. basically hiking is just harder on the knees than cycling: you support your body weight AND the jarring of landing the foot, especially going downhill is tough.

other than getting checked by a doctor i would recommend trying the following (i have done them all):
* buy good shoes AND add extra-cushioning insoles. i do this for all my hiking and mountaineering boots and really help. in the future buy them big enough so you have room for the pads
* use poles! this is kind of "in vogue" now with the Nordic Walking (at least in Europe) but it is a good idea for the knees. going uphill you can use your upperbody to relieve force on the knees/muscles and DOWNHILL you can really take a lot of the jarring out of it by using the poles. As an extreme example, i injured my knee a few years ago (as mentioned above) and being the stubborn guy i am i still did my planned Mountain Climb (*only* South Sister in Central Oregon - 4000ft vertical) when i could not bend my left knee. without the poles i would NOT have been able to get up OR down.
* carry less weight. not sure what you're doing, but i used to often carry 40-70lbs (like the first time i hiked the Grand Canyon in 1992 i had about 60lbs). dropping down to less weight is also easier on the knees
* avoid moderate-grade downhill -- i actually find that STEEP downhill almost like steps is easier on the knees than a longer grade where i cannot prevent the jarring as much

lastly, i would think about doing strengthening exercises for the muscles you don't use in cycling - like the hamstrings. if you cycle a lot it is quite likely you have a "muscle imbalance" for hiking.

2 other things i do:
* in the winter i hike UP and ski/snowboard down which is good for my knees. my knees can go uphill all day long but downhill is tough!
* i also often use the mountain bike for the approach hike (if say, i'm doing 2500m vertical i will ride the bike the first 1000-1500m) and then park and lock it and go the "interesting/steep" part on foot. then return and cruise down on the bike. GREAT for the knees (plus it's a fun way to end a tour) i do this for alpine rock climbing QUITE frequently (3 weeks ago for example)