Help my knees please

[Patriot]

My knees are trash ya’ll. Constant pain and I play b-ball and run so bad knee pain is worse for me then just being uncomfortable during a hunt.

i hunt 3-4 days a week and started sep 15. I thought soreness would go away bc last year I seemed to get less pain as the season wore on but not this year, steady getting worse.

I don’t knee into the tree the entire hunt. I wear real arcteryc knee pads or however you spell it!

advice? Please!

 

[Razorbak66]

Don’t lean in tree or use a cushion instead of knee pads. Learning you don’t really need knee pads. Lean or or side saddle as you sit keep pressure off tree plus getting old sucks Brett

 

[Plebe]

Come to the light, the JX3 tree saddle light..............
Don't be afraid, you will sit from dark to dark very comfortably, be able to snooze when you want, no dreaded hip pinch, no back aches, you can shoot 360° around the tree.
No platform required, only a ROS, no sore feet, no knee pads required, no sore knees, built in pack frame for carrying all your needs. Buy once, cry once.
Come to the light, the JX3 light...........

lol.

 

[Patriot]

Don’t lean in tree or use a cushion instead of knee pads. Learning you don’t really need knee pads. Lean or or side saddle as you sit keep pressure off tree plus getting old sucks Brett

haha yea it does. I have to knee into trees sometimes bc I’m in these little trees in swamps and I have to stay low.

 

[Razorbak66]

Straddle the tree like a cowboy no need to knee the tree

 

[Plebe]

What is your current setup?

Of course there is the knee pads vs cushion debate.

The JX3.

Straddling the trunk with ROS.

Not saddlehunting.

etc.

I like to lean, and was surprised to find the LWCG .5 quite comfortable to saddle sit into with the pad reversed on the seat.

 

[sureshotscott]

I'm not a knee expert but also suffer from the issues. If they really are "trash" you should think about giving up activities involving running or jumping. Those activities increase the chance of grinding away more cartilage which leads to increased knee pain.

Also think about supplements that contain glucosamine and chondroitin (Move Free is the brand name of one I've used).

 

[Bowmanmike]

I'm not a knee expert but also suffer from the issues. If they really are "trash" you should think about giving up activities involving running or jumping. Those activities increase the chance of grinding away more cartilage which leads to increased knee pain.

Also think about supplements that contain glucosamine and chondroitin (Move Free is the brand name of one I've used).

Pretty good advice there. I have a knee that had a meniscus tear and my acl was torn as well. I walked around with it for three years or so before getting surgery. Things healed up well but playing basketball a year after surgery was rough on my meniscus. It is macerated now and I had to stop playing basketball or soccer. The fast cutting action is when your knee is most likely to mess up.
I don't have any pain really unless I move one certain way, but there is no fixing a meniscus that is shredded. So you have to ask yourself what is important to you,basketball now or the longest possible mobility with the parts you were born with? It was an easy choice for me as I have a physical job. There are other things to keep in shape. Chasing after a ball makes working out fun and easy, riding a bike is not that much fun but much better for your knees. You do want to keep the legs strong to support the joints.
I want to be able to hunt as long as I can and be mobile in general, because I don't think knee replacement is a long term answer either.
I switch positions a lot in the saddle on long sits,straddle the tree,sit beside it,lean,etc. etc.
Get creative and be proactive.

 

[Jim DeSantis]

This won't cure bad knees, but pain comes from inflammation. Inflammation comes from sugars and processed carbs. Eating clean will absolutely positively influence joint pain. Everyone is different but I can promise you it will help and it can be measured with a blood test.

 

[Weldabeast]

Have u tried the back band under the legs instead of behind ur back

 

[Bowmanmike]

Have u tried the back band under the legs instead of behind ur back

You mean like the pic you posted in the live from the woods thread? Haha

 

[Mr Price]

I promise, this seat/pad was a game changer for me. It is one o those hot seats from walmart. Nothing fancy.
I've had my share of the knee surgery's and it isn't fun.

 

[Weldabeast]

You mean like the pic you posted in the live from the woods thread? Haha

That tree was comfy....hehe

What I mean is have ur back band go under ur knee/thigh instead of around ur back....with some fine tuning u can get the back band to help take some pressure off.
I have had surgery on 1 knee and they both snap crackle pop more than most peeps....what I do is alternate positions about ever 30/45 minutes...lean, then sit but with the bottom of my knee/ knee pad contacting the trunk, lean, sit with the center of my knee against the trunk, lean, sit with the top of knee/kneepad against the trunk...If I'm getting sore/uncomfortable despite the lean sit dance I'll start doing small tether height adjustments...I get bored real easy and i have normally gotten down before it gets to the tether adjustment stage....

 

[LoadedLimbs]

Have u tried the back band under the legs instead of behind ur back

@Patriot - Along the lines of what Weldabeast suggested, Paul Crave’s video (linked below) is a great technique that may help on smaller trees.

Also - X2 on SureShotScott’s suggestion to try the glucosamine condroitin supplements. I saw a knee specialist years ago who suggested them, and they work great at reducing my knee pain.

Link:Try a strap at your knees

 

[Allegheny Tom]

The "strap thru the knee pads" trick works pretty well. Not only does it reduce knee pressure against the tree, it also reduces hip pinch because it helps hold your legs in at a better angle.
And with some trees, for whatever the reason (bark texture, shape, knots, or??) my knees want to slide around the tree which then requires more muscle tension in order to control the slide. The strap totally eliminates that. A wider strap (3" or so) works better than a narrow strap.

 

[HuumanCreed]

My knees are trash ya’ll. Constant pain and I play b-ball and run so bad knee pain is worse for me then just being uncomfortable during a hunt.

i hunt 3-4 days a week and started sep 15. I thought soreness would go away bc last year I seemed to get less pain as the season wore on but not this year, steady getting worse.

I don’t knee into the tree the entire hunt. I wear real arcteryc knee pads or however you spell it!

advice? Please!

I hate to say it, but maybe just consider going back to a really comfortable climber or the JX3? IF it is the issue of pressure on your knees against the tree. Are you comfortable sitting on the couch at home? As in does your knees start acting up when you are stationary for long period of time.

Also consider picking smaller trees that let you hug it between your legs like John Eberhart who never use any padding.

 

[kyler1945]

Hybrid solves your problems while in a tree.

 

[Mschmeiske]

The year before last I hurt my knee some how and it hasn’t been the same since… some how I made it through last season and didn’t feel too bad. Its been acting up again so I scheduled another appointment to get it looked at later this month.
I worry that I won’t be able to hunt far and wide for as long as I’d like at the young age of 32… I told my good friend it almost makes a grown man want to cry at the thought of it because it’s one activity I really love. I’m sure some of you can relate.

I pondered if going back to a hang on would help at all? I know there’s better options than my old lone wolf, but I hate the bulk and I truly love the saddle and think it’s superior.

 

[Patriot]

What is your current setup?

Of course there is the knee pads vs cushion debate.

The JX3.

Straddling the trunk with ROS.

Not saddlehunting.

etc.

I like to lean, and was surprised to find the LWCG .5 quite comfortable to saddle sit into with the pad reversed on the seat.

acrteryx knee pads and kestrel.

JX3 is not for me. I hunt some tight and tiny trees and need a small and versatile profile.

 

[Patriot]

Pretty good advice there. I have a knee that had a meniscus tear and my acl was torn as well. I walked around with it for three years or so before getting surgery. Things healed up well but playing basketball a year after surgery was rough on my meniscus. It is macerated now and I had to stop playing basketball or soccer. The fast cutting action is when your knee is most likely to mess up.
I don't have any pain really unless I move one certain way, but there is no fixing a meniscus that is shredded. So you have to ask yourself what is important to you,basketball now or the longest possible mobility with the parts you were born with? It was an easy choice for me as I have a physical job. There are other things to keep in shape. Chasing after a ball makes working out fun and easy, riding a bike is not that much fun but much better for your knees. You do want to keep the legs strong to support the joints.
I want to be able to hunt as long as I can and be mobile in general, because I don't think knee replacement is a long term answer either.
I switch positions a lot in the saddle on long sits,straddle the tree,sit beside it,lean,etc. etc.
Get creative and be proactive.

to be clear my knees handle athletics just fine. But the soreness from hunting is getting unbearable.

just trying to figure out how to fix the hunting impact.