Missionman Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 Hey all I think i am part of the typical demographic here - middle aged guy, likes to be active. Over the last year and a half I have developed achy knees. I'm 150lbs so I never thought this would be an issue for me. But volleyball twice a week for the last ~20 years is doing my knees in as are my family genes probably. I did see my doctor and she didn't say specifically that it was arthritis or if it was jumper's knee. In either case, I know part of the solution is strengthening around the knee, and I had noticed some improvement for a little while doing various things (a little weight loss, only playing vball 1.5x/week, glucosamine - which apparently does nothing but doesn't cost much, exercise, etc). Lately I have been feeling it in the knees after riding, though, which wasn't an issue last year. I don't think this is technique related (with that said I suck at carving). But i am curious what others here have done to alleviate pain in the knees, since i have seen the odd thread out there (in the For Sale forum for example for those that couldn't handle the pain anymore). Will riding, particularly carving, exacerbate the issue? I'm 47 - how much longer do I have....? Do plates really help substantially? (since I have noticed the bouncing around might be causing additional discomfort). Voltaren? Ibuprofen? I haven't gotten to biking in the last month, but is this a good knee strengthening exercise since its low impact if (I am not doing jumps)? appreciate the advice. Gerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdifan_2003 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 I'd start with a good, reliable Orthopedic surgeon, who will see you, evaluate you and most likely get an MRI. See if there are any structural damage on cartilages, ligaments, and underlying bone and take it from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 I'm still at it at 62 in hardboots! More aches and pains just come with wear and tear over time. Ice wraps on the knees and vitamin A (Advil or Aleeve) after a long day of hard charging for me has really does the trick! Also adding dumbbell squats back into my weight training has helped in building back strength in my knees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 Startingstrength.com. Buy the book, follow the program (lift, eat lots of protein, sleep, add 5 lbs and lift again), watch your squat strength jump to levels you didn't think were possible in 6 months. You'll also learn a bit about your own motivation as the workouts get really hard. Not painful, but you push yourself in ways you haven't before. I'm only 42, but my knees now feel better than they did when I was 20. Just deadlifted 315 lbs for 5 reps and squatted 285 lbs for 3 sets of 5 reps a few days ago. I was a couch potato. This program changed my life. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVR Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 At 48 I use hardbooting to stay in shape... and although round is a shape, that is not the shape I choose... As for aches and pains, after a bit I actually find my tricepts hurt more than my knees and as expected, my quads hurt the most. Ibuprophine and a bit of cross training are the best path forward and in the end, it is all worth it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliechocolate Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 I play volleyball two to three times a week. Patellar tendonitis flare-ups have been getting more common lately. I've been paying close attention to what I'm doing and how my knees feel after what activity. It's actually volleyball and not carving that's making my tendons sore. In my case I've narrowed it down to poor landing technique. I've added plyometric exercises and more leg-oriented stretches to my weekly gym program and so far, so good. The point is, see if you can isolate the problematic movement(s) and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 https://www.restorepdx.com/platelet-rich-plasma-prp-therapy/ PRP injections. My wife is having her knee, ankle and back done next week. I had so much sciatic pain last fall that I couldn't sleep. Had injections in my back, no more pain. White blood cells regenerate the damaged tissue. I also believe that a healthy dose of CBD/THC helps with recovery. There are some great topical lotions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deckard Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 At 66 I attempt to keep all the forces in balance and avoid any excesive twisting. I try to use the boards design to do most of the hard work and I still ride pretty darn aggressively. The biggest compromise I’ve made to age is that I don’t ride first chair to last like I used to years ago. I start very early and finish around 2:30. Usually best snow and fewest people. Actually, snowboarding gets me in the best shape of anything I do during the year. I will have over 30 days on my board this year. That being said, after my knee surgery the doc told me it would only last 5 years. It’s been 20 years now and the knee feels reasonable good. Based on my personal experience, I’m a big believer in hyaluronic acid injections. I’ve gotten them in my knee every Fall for the last 20 years. MOTTO: I Will Until I Can’t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 My only contribution is not well received by some. If the conditions are less than ideal ice or choppy terrain ride a plate. Perfect groom use the best board you have that match the conditions. Keep moving and don't get old ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckmann AG Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 4 hours ago, Missionman said: I know part of the solution is strengthening around the knee, and I had noticed some improvement for a little while doing various things (a little weight loss, only playing vball 1.5x/week, glucosamine - which apparently does nothing but doesn't cost much, exercise, etc). Lately I have been feeling it in the knees after riding, though, which wasn't an issue last year. I don't think this is technique related (with that said I suck at carving). But i am curious what others here have done to alleviate pain in the knees, since i have seen the odd thread out there (in the For Sale forum for example for those that couldn't handle the pain anymore). Will riding, particularly carving, exacerbate the issue? If you don't know what the actual problem is, how do you identify the solution? If you strengthen without understanding the cause of the pain, you may simply provide a ready means of hastening the problem. Skiing/riding with 'poor' technique will put undue stress on the knees, and carving increases that load. Two of the better conditioning regimens for knee stability are XC skiing and speed skating, as they require balance/stability through a large range of movement, both at what would be considered 'low impact'. Cycling isn't quite so good, on account of being largely mono-planar. 'Achy' can mean different things to different people, but that sounds like the product of a chronic stressor, compounded by your frequent sessions of increased activity. For instance, if you spent the greater part of your waking hours wearing Crocs, or other shoes with squishy soles, you could expect knee pain. So: Do you spend a lot of time on your feet, and if so, are you wearing one type of shoe during that time, and if so, what specific kind, and when did you begin wearing them? Other than that, make sure you are properly hydrated and nourished, and be mindful of how you use your body. Joints in general are 'happiest' while moving through even cycles of flexion and extension, rather than holding a load at partial range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aracan Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 This can have too many reasons to give meaningful advice over the internet. E.g. my knees are a bit on the arthrotic side, and the doctor told me that muscle is a good thing. Over the years I found that cycling builds those muscles and alleviates the problem. A guy a ride with has good knees, when his knees hurt it's simply a sign that he forgot to properly set the forward leaning mechanism. Stance, footwear, canting etc. can all play a part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ursle Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I also agree that it's actually a muscle problem, the knees are the point that the tendons and ligaments of the upper and lower legs join, they simply connect the muscles above to the muscles below, the tendons and ligaments are very tight if the muscles are, yes, bicycling is Great for knees, use cleats and make the upstroke as big as possible, balance the leg muscles, the better shape the muscles are in the more the ligaments and tendons can stretch, keep the knees warm, they don't have blood flow like muscles, they will freeze up when cold. Get a triggerpoint roller (EMS) and roll the hips and outer upper legs and rear and front of the upper legs and kneel on the sucker and roll the shins before riding, keep the muscles loose and supple. Yes, you can damage a knee, crack the knee cap, blow out a tendon or ligament, definite knee trauma, but achy knees point at poor muscle structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Former track athlete here. Trained with a heap of olympic lifters. Done my ACL twice. Not sure any of those things are credentials. I want to add something new to this discussion, so FWIW, after trying what seemed like every knee sleeve on the planet, I can vouch for these: https://www.rehband.co.uk/original-7-mm-knee-support I wear them while lifting, as do just about every strongman (as in world's strongest man competition guys), and many olympic lifters. I also wear them riding. I shudder at the thought of not wearing them while riding. Many of the lifters I train with get achy knees if they don't them while they train. They're a lot better than me. They've actually been to the olympics to compete, I went to spectate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Wow, you ride with the Rehbands? I love them while lifting but the seams irritate the skin on the back of my knees after a while. I use very thin volleyball kneepads when riding. A little more warmth and a little protection against icy death cookies without feeling like they get in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, Corey said: Wow, you ride with the Rehbands? I love them while lifting but the seams irritate the skin on the back of my knees after a while. I use very thin volleyball kneepads when riding. A little more warmth and a little protection against icy death cookies without feeling like they get in the way. Trick is to wear them over your thermals :) I made the mistake of wearing them on bare skin once. Never again. As long as they're washed once per week and dried out completely after each day, they are really perfect. I love them to ride. Give them a shot, over your base layer, you won't be disappointed. I mean once you have your boots on and you're up and running and they stop cutting off your circulation. Many ands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 16 hours ago, Missionman said: Do plates really help substantially? To me, yes. So much so, I only ride with a plate now. I personally feel I can ride more of the day without feeling fatigued. Now that might just be me, I know a lot of people complain about them for whatever reason, but I love them. 4 years ago, I broke the hardware on a Donek plate, so removed it and the next run sprained my ankle on the plateless snowboard due to the bumps, which I didn't know were there. From that day, I've ridden a plate every day. About 100 of them, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) Between Oly lifting training, Crossfit and carving, my knees hate me pretty much all the time. Glucosamine daily, ibuprofen right after riding, rolling series on the quads/glutes/IT's, and lots of stretching in saddle pose keep knee pain in check pretty well for me. A lot of mine is compression - my knees feel much worse after a day on choppy snow v a day on good groom. I notice the same when I do a lot of lifting volume, and hit the platform hard in lifting shoes. If I do the same volume in Crossfit class on the rubber mats with softer shoes, I don't have anywhere near the same issues. I've been thinking about knee sleeves too, it sounds like I might have to get some. Edited March 14, 2018 by Allee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, Allee said: I've been thinking about knee sleeves too, it sounds like I might have to get some. Do it. Get the Rehbands. Blue ones only. Won't regret it. I can't train without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 But I want the pink ones. Or camo, at the very least. 7mm, not 5's, huh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 What about pink camo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 13 hours ago, Beckmann AG said: Cycling isn't quite so good, on account of being largely mono-planar. Ditto! I ride hundreds of miles weekly and ride rollers all winter and was quite surprised when the physical therapist I was with (for achy knees) said my gluteus muscles had shrank and are all tied to knees strength and stability and that biking doesn't hit that area. Adding Dumb bell squats 1x at 20, 30, 40 into my 3x weight training regime has helped! Additionally ice wraps for 30 minutes after a hard day or couple of days of hard charging has really helped with stiffness/soreness + Advil or Aleve pre and sometimes post event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, barryj said: Adding Dumb bell squats What's the rationale behind dumbell squats over barbell squats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 2 hours ago, daveo said: https://www.rehband.co.uk/original-7-mm-knee-support Daveo and Corey ....where did you get your Rehbands? There seems to be no source in USA ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Just now, barryj said: Daveo and Corey ....where did you get your Rehbands? There seems to be no source in USA ?? https://www.jackalsgym.com/product/rehband-7051/ Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I wear these in the gym also, after I was getting extreme tight glutes, I just thought I'd give them a shot. Worked well surprisingly for whatever reason. That was when I was a serious athlete, though. But old habbits die hard... https://www.jackalsgym.com/product/rehband-7380-original-blue-warm-pants/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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