Finally, I figured it out. No more post-hike knee pain and muscle aches for me.
And I say Good riddance!
Let me tell you my story.
I don’t remember my first ever hike, but I do remember my first ever horrible knee pain after a big hike.
In 2018, I went on a grade 4 walk-in Mitchelle river area in Australia. Australian walking track grading system classify tracks into five grades. Grade 1 is for easy walks and Grade 5 is given to tough tracks.
We walked for about 30 km in Michelle river area. It may not sound a lot but the distance can be quite deceiving given how low the trail goes into the gullies and how high it goes to the top of the gorge.
Anyway, I had a wonderful time hiking and come home exhausted and yet happy.
After dinner, I usually go to the bed for much-needed beauty sleep. Within seconds I drifted off to deep sleep, to wake up with excruciating pain in my both knees.
That unexplainable horrible pain in my overused knees kept me awake the rest of the night.
It happened again and again. After every big hike, I would suffer for days afterwards.
Pain killers didn’t help much either and how many pills can you pop?
I needed a better solution. My local GP checked my knees and diagnosed that overused knee joint was inflamed and that’s what was causing pain.
The doctor advised me not to go on long hikes or any activity that puts too much pressure on my ageing knees. I am in my late 30s.
Well, I am not ready to give up on hiking just yet. So I had to find a solution to this problem.
And this is where I shine. Research.
I studied in depth and breadth on this topic. And what you are about to read below is the summary of what I found.
And I will try to summarise all that science gobbledygook in a simple language.
Let’s start with the knee.
The knee
Our knee is a very complex hinge joint, that has only one type of movement (flexion-extension). It carries the weight of the body and everything that we carry.
The joint is made of bones, ligaments and tendons and is supported by muscles in our legs. I am not gonna bore you with their complex names.
What is important to know here is that when climbing stairs, compressive weight on the knee is higher (1-2 times). This compressive force reaches 3-4 times body weight when running and 7-8 times when going downhill.
For most of us, it’s completely ok. Although, this changes after an injury, medical condition or as we age. That is why it is important to speak with a doctor and get a proper diagnosis first.
So without further adieu let’s dive into my top tips to reduce post-hike knee pain.
Let’s start with prevention.
How to prevent hiker’s knee pain
1. Strengthen leg muscles
Strengthening muscles that support your knee, can reduce knee pain
Muscles in your leg, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes and calf muscles, work relentlessly to stabilize and support your knee joints.
If these muscles are not strong enough to support your knee, your knee will work under immense pressure. Which reflects in the knee pain.
Women have less bone density and muscle mass in their knees compared to men. Thus women’s knees are placed more under pressure than men’s. To overcome genetic and hormonal drawbacks, women need to focus on strength training.
There are many knee strengthening exercises on youtube. You have to try quite a few before you figure out what works best for you.
What worked for me?
- Knee band
- Leg raise
- Side leg raise
- Hamstring stretch
- Crossed leg stretch
- Wall sit
- Squats,
- Lunges
- Lateral shuffles
Many of these are on the NHS website, just search ‘Knee exercises for runners’ on their website.
I suggest train at least for a few weeks before going on your next adventure.
2. Support your knee
You can use a knee brace or kinesiology tap.
They offer external support to ease knee discomfort.
I use both. Start with just the KT tape. And wear a knee brace if you need more support during descent from a steep climb.
KT tape UK has a detailed explanation of knee support application
(Disclaimer – this is not a sponsored post, I am just sharing my experience)
Like me, you may have to go through a few knee braces to find your perfect fit.
3. Hydrate
I highly recommend drinking plenty of water in your daily routine. But if you don’t already, at least hydrate before, during and after your hike.
I can not stress enough how crucial this is.
Drinking plenty of water will help regulate your body temperature and keep your muscles functioning.
Hydration should start way before you hit the trail, if not days.
We wake up a little dehydrated because we don’t drink enough water at night for 6 to 8 hours. That’s the reason you should properly hydrate your body before the hike.
I drink about a litre of plain water early in the morning. And that works well for me. While I am getting ready for the day, It goes through my system and hydrates my whole body.
Then I top it up with some hot drinks during breakfast. If I am going on a hike it’s usually my anti-inflammatory turmeric latte.
I am used to drinking plain water first thing in the morning. You can also have coconut water, milk, flavoured water, herbal tea etc.
Drink water at least 1-2 hours before starting your excursion. Because you don’t want a litre of water sloshing in your stomach while walking or causing stomach cramps and then taking toilet breaks every 10 minutes.
Wake up a bit early to prepare yourself for the hike.
My rule of thumb is use a third of water going out, a third coming back and a third for emergency.
Survival expert Dan Baird
Keep drinking enough water during the hike as well. And remember the survival expert Dan Baird’s rule of third for your own safety.
You may feel less thirsty in cold weather and that can increase your chances of dehydration. And a severe dehydration is life threatening. Adding some flavours (lemon, strawberry, tea bags) to your water can make it more appealing.
Leave a bottle in the car, and hydrate post-hike.
I drink at least 1.5 litres of water within 2 hours after finishing the hike. I also keep some coconut water in the car as it provides some electrolytes and it tastes better than plain water.
If you have been sweating a lot during the hike and feeling exhausted and depleted, consider drinking some electrolytes for a quick boost of energy. This is one of your hiking essentials.
4. Eat anti-inflammatory foods
What you eat before, during and after your hike is going to reflect on how much energy you have during the hike and how you feel afterwards.
Eating too many sugars will spike your insulin and serotonin for some time but soon your energy levels will crash.
A balanced high protein, fibre-rich nutritious meal will take you way further.
Eating Anti-inflammatory food will also help recover from post-hike inflammations in your body.
Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. According to researchers, it reduces inflammation in the joints. Vegan or vegetarian option is flex seeds or flex seed oil.
Turmeric, cinnamon and ginger, have powerful antioxidants and huge anti-inflammatory benefits. These spices are great for athletes and hikers.
Try my post-hike turmeric latte to feel great and reduce body pains after a long hike.
Magnesium is a popular muscle relaxant. Magnesium is a vital mineral and approximately 30% of the magnesium in your body is stored in the muscles.
It plays an important role in muscle contraction and relaxation. Therefore, the more active you are more magnesium you will need
if you don’t want to take supplements, eat magnesium-rich foods such as
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Flax seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Cashews
- Moth beans
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Oats
Try my magnesium rich super seed protein balls recipe.
If you decide to take magnesium supplements, speak with your doctor first.
5. Use Hiking poles
Hiking poles are great when you are descending from a steep mountain. They give you some support and redistribute weight to your arms and shoulder.
They are like another set of limbs to give you more stability in tricky terrain. Also, you can check ice strength and water depth.
You can use it to scare away wild animals. (best is to keep distance though)
6. Right Footwear
You need lightweight hiking shoes with a good grip. Sturdy hiking shoes support your ankle and protect it from injuries.
They should have a good sole and feel comfortable. If you have been using your hiking boots for a long time, their soles might be packed, and the hard sole can be tough on your knees.
Make sure you break into your new shoes before going on your next adventure.
Learn a few lacing techniques such as the surgeon’s knot, window lacing (or box lacing), and toe-relief lacing to adjust how your feet fits in your shoes. And to reduce pressure on a painful spot.
Also, use good-quality hiking socks with some cushioning. And don’t walk in wet socks for long. Change as soon as possible.
7. Reduce speed
The primary reason your knees hurt when hiking downhill is that they’re under significantly more stress than when heading uphill or on flat ground.
As you descend one leg at a time, the leading knee absorbs the impact of not only your body weight but also the added forces of going downhill and the weight of your bag.
High speed increases the stress on your knees. Take your time and carefully navigate your way down the trail, side-stepping and backing down when necessary.
8. Take breaks and mind your steps
You don’t want to add insult to an injury.
Your knees are already under immense pressure. Any small twist or pull can tip the scale to the wrong side.
Watch where you are going. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
If you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery around you, Take a break, enjoy the views, and then move on.
9. Stretching
Stretching before any type of exercise reduces the chances of injury.
All lower back and hip stretches are great such as
- Knees to the chest
- Push the Knee towards the opposite shoulder
- Hamstring stretch
- Calf stretch
- Hip stretch
Hold a stretch for 30 seconds. You’ll feel tension during a stretch, but you should not feel pain. If you do, stop.
Regular stretching keeps muscles long, lean, and flexible, and this means that during exertion muscles will support your knee.
Stretching once or twice won’t magically give you perfect flexibility. You’ll need to build it over time and remain committed to the process.
And never forget to stretch before and after a hike.
10. Use a Foam roller or get a deep tissue massage
It’s a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique. In simple words, you use a form roller, your body weight and your body balancing skills to release tension in muscles.
It’s similar to deep tissue massage. If you go to a physiotherapist, they feel for stiffness and tension in muscles and then release it with massaging and stretching.
With a form roller, you can do it yourself.
It can reduce body soreness and increase your joint’s range of motion. It’s great for back pain and knee pain.
If you have never used it, watch some basic videos and start with safe and simple techniques. Because you don’t want to worsen the situation with the wrong moves.
Using a form roller after-hike may test your pain tolerance. However, if you are comfortable using it, you may notice a world of difference in body pains after a hike or strenuous workouts.
11. Reduce weight
Whether it is excess body weight or back pack weight, not good for your knees.
There is no short cut to weight loss but you can easily reduce backpack weight.
Carry absolute essentials with you. After packing your backpack, go through it again. Get rid of unnecessary items.
For example, an umbrella is not going to protect you from the rain on a mountain.
12. Rest during PMS
Due to hormonal fluctuations, joint and muscle pain is quite common during periods. You may want to avoid any type of prolonged strenuous activity during those day
13. Listen to your body
Without proper care you can damage your knees.
Listen to your body. Knee pain is symptom that is telling you that there is a problem. Pay attention and try to understand the problem before your next excursion.
If you follow above mentioned preventive steps, you will feel much better after the hike.
Now let’s move on to the treatment section.
How to treat knee pain post-hike
A long hike causes knee inflammation. Inflammation is nothing but our body’s protective system.
Overuse of any body part leads to several minor internal injuries in muscles and joints. This triggers the protective mechanism to heal injuries.
The pain, swelling and redness on the knee are the symptoms that tell you that body’s self-healing system is working.
In theory, it sounds great but in reality, these symptoms are not tolerable.
However, if these symptoms take over. Our body won’t function properly. So we should work with the body and try and reduce these symptoms.
How can we do that?
RICE is the most popular method to heal such an injury. Rice stand for Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate.
This formula works to treat hiker’s knee pain as well. But there is more to it. let me explain
Not Just Ice, Cold therapy
This one is a lifesaver. I can sing in praise of this method for hours. Nothing works better than cold therapy to treat inflammation.
Cold constricts the blood vessels and reduces blood flow in the affected area thus reducing swelling and inflammation.
After a hike, our whole body is inflamed. Placing ice wrapped in a cloth on your knees can help but not as much as cold immersion technique.
Yes, You heard me right. Do it Wim Hoff style.
After finishing your hike take a dip in a nearby lake or river. You have to go in cold water about 5-6 times, for 10-15 minutes each time, every two hours. At least that’s what works for me.
The best way to do this is to spend the rest of the day near a water body. Sock in the view, enjoy a picnic, rest and take a dip in the cold water every two hours.
A tip from my experience. Chilled open water give your body a shock. And lake/river bed are quite slippery. To avoid tripping use your walking pole for first few minutes for stability.
Cold water immersion (CWI) is one of the most popular post-exercise recovery method adopted by athletes during training and competition.
Another option is to dip your legs in the cold water of the nearby stream. Sit, enjoy the scenery enjoy your lunch while nature heals the pain.
If that is not an option then go to your accommodation fill the bathtub with cold water and sit in it for 10- 15 minutes.
If you do this before going to bed you will sleep like a baby and wake up the next morning with nothing but memories of your wonderful hike.
Compression
Your knees may need support after the hike. So if you feel more pressure than usual on your knee joints, keep the brace on.
A knee brace also helps in controlling swelling. You can wear compression socks as well.
The key is to be mindful and work with your body.
Elevate
It is good to take pressure off of your knees. But better if you can lie down and put a pillow or cushion under your knees.
Elevation helps reduce swelling and speed up healing. For the best result raise your legs above the level of your heart.
Rest
While your body is hard at work healing minor injuries, you can help it by taking proper rest. Get good eight to nine hours of sleep.
If possible take it a bit easy for the next few days.
Take rest but keep moving to avoid stiffness. Which is very common. Light walks and swimming are ideal exercises after big hikes.
If pain is too much and it won’t let you sleep. You can take your regular pain killer. And get some rest at night. But avoid popping pills every few hours. They should be taken as little as possible, only as much as needed.
At the end I have a good new for you. More you hike, your body gets better at it. this is how body conditioning work.
So be mindful and keep hiking.
XX
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a medical professional. I’m sharing my experiences. What works for me, may not work for you. So Be smart and only do what seems right to you. If you have any doubt, talk to a medical professional.