Hiking provides a great workout and a chance to get outside and enjoy nature. It's hardly a stroll through a park, however. Trekking up hill and down can be rough on your knees. As a result, hikers often suffer one of two common sore knee conditions. Nurse your knees back to good health with knee stretches and exercises.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
One sore knee condition hikers suffer is patellofemoral pain syndrome. It occurs when the patella, or knee cap, no longer tracks properly along the groove in your femur -- the bone in your thigh. The resulting pain feels like it's coming from behind and around your knee cap. You'll feel it much more intensely when hiking up and down hills because of the extra pressure placed on the knee at steep angles.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Another common knee condition hikers experience is iliotibial band syndrome. The iliotibial band is made of thick fibrous tissue that starts at your hip, travels down your leg and crosses at the knee. The constant flexing of the knee during hiking causes irritation to the iliotibial band, which results in lateral pain across the knee and swelling. This condition is also more acute when going up and down hills. Treatment involves physical therapy and sometimes surgery to snip the iliotibial band where it crosses the knee.
Exercises
Physical therapy for both knee conditions focuses on strengthening the muscles that support the knee -- the quadriceps and the hamstrings. To strengthen the quadriceps, lie on the floor on your back with one leg bent and the other leg straight in front of you. Raise the straight leg a few inches off the floor, squeeze your thigh muscles and hold it for 5 seconds, then lower the leg. Repeat on the other leg. To strengthen the hamstrings, stand behind a chair with your legs together and raise one foot toward your buttocks to a 90-degree angle. Hold it for 5 seconds, then lower the leg and repeat 10 times. Switch legs and do another 10 repetitions. For each exercise, do two sets of 10 repetitions.
Stretches
Stretching the knee muscles and iliotibial band will keep them healthy and help them absorb more of the pressure you place on your knee. Stretch the quads by standing behind a chair with your legs together, grab your right ankle and raise it toward your back. Hold it for 30 seconds, then switch legs. Stretch the hamstrings by sitting on the floor with your legs in front of you. Slide your hands down your legs toward your ankles. When you feel a burn in the back of your thighs, hold the stretch for 30 seconds. To stretch your iliotibial band, sit on the floor with your legs in front of you. Bend your right knee and place it over your left leg. Twist your trunk to the right and use your left arm to push your right leg until you feel a burning in the outer part of your thigh. Hold it for 20 seconds, then switch legs.
References
- "American Family Physician"; Management of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome by Dr. Sameer Dixit, et al.; January 2007
- "American Family Physician: Iliotibial Band Syndrome: A Common Source of Knee Pain; Dr. Razib Khaund et al.; April 2005
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Knee Surgery
- "American Family Physician"; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; November 1999
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