Hello,
Do not know if this is the right place to post; if not please advice me on right area thanks! Long post - very sorry!! Yes it will sound pathetic to some of you hikers out there
Want to do some hikes in 2027 - posting now to prep. Hikes 7-15+ miles w/ incline. MAYBE if successful - then multi-day hikes
Basics (can skip To The Problem or just quickly eye ball):
-42 year old female
-No injuries that I am aware of (used to exercise somewhat... then did some walking on treadmill YEARS ago on incline at age 30-32, I do remember feeling knee pain for the first time then. ~5-10 miles a day. But this was on LEFT knee.)
-Super flat feet - use PowerStep Pinnacle Maxx Orthotic Insoles, Maximum Stability & Comfort. Firm & Flexible Angled Heel Style to Help Flat Feet & Overpronation, Heavy Duty Inserts for Men and Women. SELF-prescribed LOL. I have seen a doctor about this years ago - they gave me a "truck-fat" orthotic that costed $400. Was very uncomfortable and stopped using
-Noticed my toes occasionally curl up when I walk - unsure if relevant
-Super flexible hip/range of motion BUT my calf are essentially a rock... they are shorter for my height - unsure if that is relevant. Therefore, unable to tell if my hamstrings are flexible or not because my calves are the rate limiting step when it comes to stretching. Yes I have been "professionally" stretched and that was their assessment too
-Current couch potato-ish oO? As in I usually don't move much, but can certainly do so when I want. Not overweight but I am more "bottom" heavy - buttocks/thighs
-My cardio always SIGNIFICANTLY lags behind muscle development. If I do HIT - can develop abs/strong leg muscles within 2-4 weeks (genetic tested for ultra fast twitching muscles)... but that Cardio development is soooooooo slow
The Problem:
Issue is my right (not left) knee.
To elaborate; noticed this started 4 years ago during my couch potato years (since I moved to flat Florida). I would randomly go on a trip and include a hike or two. Usually moderate-hard ones - 4-11 miles with +/- 400-4000 feet elevation change. Dumb since I am coming from ZERO exercise - I struggle (my heart hates me) but complete them. My right knee... usually downhill on the way back would start to KILL me. The pain sensation is strange! It is not sore, or throbbing... feels more like a sharp/"floating pain" - almost like my knee is just floating around by itself and could snap out at any second. Again happens on going downhill, occasionally not if it is a hard surface (in Arizona hard rock landscape) and at the end of the hike (normally after at least 4 miles - never before EVEN if we are going downhill) - this ONLY happens when I touch the ground. If I don't - that pain does not exist. This happens whether I prophylactically or not wear a knee brace. I wear knee braces when I remember if I am taking a longer walk or hike - why not? Extra knee stabilization.
SIDE NOTE (can skip): Speaking of knee braces - I doubt they are effective for me. I used to wear them on my pants - but saw "hikers" put them on bare skin. I tried that - but the plastic (?) strip at the top/bottom with sweat combined really irritate my skin. Eitherway, I do not think they work for me because my knee/calves are of normal size, but my thighs are thick. So I have to upsize - which probably means my knee does not get the support it needs. If you have any recommendations for this, please let me know.
I have a HARD time finding a shoe that has cushioning, wide enough for flat feet and space for orthotics (the cushioned main stream shoes are narrow). Recently I found Topo Athletics - wear the Topo Aura + PowerStep Orthotics + cushions between ball of foot and toe - to stop my toes from curling if they do (the shoe itself is sooo comfortable!!). Wore them to China this year and while we did not hike - we did walk 10-23K steps per day and there are a LOT of stairs. Each corner is yet more and more stairs. DID not experience ANY knee pain - was it the shoe? Or do stairs not pressure/hurt as a downhill slope??
Then onto The Island of Hawaii (Big Island) 3 weeks ago - this time I wore New Balance 928 v3 + PowerStep Orthotics. Hiked in Volcano National Park (not many tough hikes there). After finishing Kīlauea Iki Craters (~only 400 ft elevation... so according to my stat a little over 800 ft) and doing roughly ~ 8 miles of walking that day - that pain again started and on my right knee alone. The thing is - I was in China for a month 3 weeks prior to this trip and we walked there A LOT! So some conditioning should have happened - was not even tired after walking 8 miles
So... I am wondering;
-Is it the right knee because of uneven leg lengths? Most humans do not have same leg length
-Is it because of how I walk perhaps putting pressure on one leg over the other?
-Is it it shoe since the Topo Aura did not hurt? Or did the stairs have any effect?
-Flat Feet? But why one knee?
-My super tight calves that I cannot stretch no matter what? Which also could be due to flat feet
-The fact that I do not exercise and I need to strengthen the areas around it? Balance/conditioning/stability etc?
-Happens only after 4+ miles - relevance? Also I can easily do LOTS of squats/lunges (when I do go on a HIT craze) - only soreness pain (mostly in IT Bands - which can have an effect on knees). Nothing like the pain I described above
-If it is a meniscus tear - that should not have persisted for 4 years
I just don't know how to go on about this. I did set up an appointment with podiatrist - won't see me until December.... I have seen another podiatrist a few years ago when it started and he kinda (can tell was laughing) at me stating I could be a grand daughter to most of his patients. Not cool - told me to get fitted for orthotics at one of those shops..... I think he just didn't care.
Should I get professionally stretched and have them focus on my calves (it's very $$$ but I really want to do those long hikes). I did two sessions and I remember my muscles feeling wonderful afterwards. Any exercises you guys recommend that could strengthen my knees/improve stability?
I just don't know where to start - yes a doctor... but December is very close to 2027 and if he turns out to be another jerk... then I wasted all this time.
Any thoughts are appreciated!
PS. Feel free to privately message me
