My dear friends,
A little over a year ago, I released a video telling you that I couldn't attempt the summit in the Sierra Nevada that year, because my knees hurt after a steep hike. It was so hard to make this decision back then, but it was necessary. So what has happened so far this year?
I went back on that same hike in April. I released a video for my members about it, but the short answer is, my left knee still hurt coming down that trail. I couldn't believe it. I had done more training, and specifically focused on my knees to make them stronger. I was so sure that I wouldn't have any problems this time, but I did.
So I dug in and went on many more hikes, even in the relentless summer heat of Southern California. I felt good. My next test came in August: Mount Baldy! It was the longest hike I've ever done, and the one with the highest elevation gain. I also created a special video about this for my members. Sadly, my left knee hurt again on the way down. It was a long way back to the car… long and painful. But then I had a glimmer of hope when I saw a lady wearing a brace coming up the trail. I talked with her for quite a while, and she assured me that her knee problems on steep descents vanished when she wore the brace. I snapped a quick photo and began my research.
One of the first things I did was talk to my sister-in-law. She has been an athletic trainer all her life and has helped athletes get back to the sports they love. She also recommended wearing a brace. Actually… she had already recommended it back in April, when I came back from the Flag Trail in pain. Back then, I thought that simple kinesiology tape would be enough. I tested it on Mount Baldy… and it failed. My time to solve this problem was running out. The hiking season in the High Sierra would soon come to an end.
So I bought two braces and tested them on the steep Flag Trail again. This time, my right knee was fine the whole way down, and my left was only a little sensitive once in a while. You can watch the video here.
The real test was Mount Baldy, though. It would be closest to what I need to be able to do in the Sierra Nevada, with 3,900 feet (1,189 m) of elevation gain and a similar distance of about 4 miles (6.4 km) one way. You can find out how my knees did on the way down from the mountain in my new video.
I've been thinking about where this knee pain could come from. I'm not a doctor and have no experience with anything like this, but I've had a theory for a while now.
Since 2004, I've been rock climbing in the gym and outside. If any of you are climbers, you know the crazy movements we sometimes make, and the stability we need in our joints, especially in the legs. The angles can be impossibly difficult, but climbing feels so natural to me that I don't even think about it.
Then in 2024, we moved to Southern California. EVERYTHING is drastically more expensive here, from gas, to gyms, to food, to rent. You name it, and it probably has one of the highest prices in the US. So for the first time since 2004, I didn't climb. I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on the gym, even though it's also the best way to find new climbing friends. I miss it so much: the flow on the rock, the friendships I've made, the days outside (sometimes several days in a row, with camping). But there is also something else.
I never had any knee problems while I was climbing, but since I stopped, these problems started happening. While I don't know for certain, I do believe that climbing always kept my knees and legs strong. When I stopped, the muscles around my joints grew weaker, and hiking down steep trails was suddenly painful. A 20-minute workout at home can't replace being in the gym or outdoors for hours on end. I truly believe that, and I wish I could find the time and money to join a gym here again, but it's probably not going to happen.
Have you ever felt something like this? Knee pain, or another pain, that has kept you from doing what you love? What are your experiences? And what do you think about my theory that not climbing anymore has contributed to these problems?
The story continues, and I'm thankful that you're here for it.
If you want to see the entire series since I made the decision to summit Mount Langley in the Sierra Nevada, you can find all the videos in this playlist.
Stay tuned for more updates soon.
Take care, my friends.
Andrea