Season ending injury? Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Shattered my knee cap into multiple pieces about 15 years ago now. And have had some meniscus issues a few times over doing it. They eventually got better. My knee makes a bunch of noise and hurts at times these days after the bad hyper extension with that stupid game cart I hiked out of the back country. Chiropractor has helped me a lot as well as rock tape. (Kinesiology tape) I use the stuff all over on the regular. My job literally kicks my ass on the regular. I’ve had the tape on my knee since Wyoming. Been through hunts and was great, even the real shitty/heavy hikes. But when I take that stuff off I feel it pretty quick. It works very well for me but allows everything to move and strengthen as I continue to work or hunt. I can’t take time off being a small business owner, I just work through most of it.

All that to say, Ice, chiro, and the tape are my friends.

Kt tape is the well known brand and works well but the rock tape lasts a week or two at a time even when working and hunting.

I think I have a photo from my 1st season hunt with MtnElk

F2011241-0719-4C87-8F1C-52E60365D019.jpeg
 
If it helps your mindset I spotted 4 cows the other night within 75 yards of one of the most driven forest roads in our area.
Waypoints please.:) Blowing my last 4 days of PTO this week and next...
No doubt the CO will have a decoy set up beside the road. But I'll be in Sitka gear so I should be legally immune. No one road hunts in Sitka gear, only Kryptek and KUIU. :ROFLMAO:

Unless this crust of ice on the ground melts off, that might be the only way. December in the pretty 20% of Idaho.


Joke aside - MRI is on for Monday.

Shattered my knee cap into multiple pieces about 15 years ago now. And have had some meniscus issues a few times over doing it. They eventually got better. My knee makes a bunch of noise and hurts at times these days after the bad hyper extension with that stupid game cart I hiked out of the back country. Chiropractor has helped me a lot as well as rock tape. (Kinesiology tape) I use the stuff all over on the regular. My job literally kicks my ass on the regular. I’ve had the tape on my knee since Wyoming. Been through hunts and was great, even the real shitty/heavy hikes. But when I take that stuff off I feel it pretty quick. It works very well for me but allows everything to move and strengthen as I continue to work or hunt. I can’t take time off being a small business owner, I just work through most of it.

All that to say, Ice, chiro, and the tape are my friends.

Kt tape is the well known brand and works well but the rock tape lasts a week or two at a time even when working and hunting.

I think I have a photo from my 1st season hunt with MtnElk

I will looking into this. Knee #2 not far behind. Probably should be my every day prep routine.

Chiro "fixed" knee #1 a decade ago with a device that popped the meniscus into alignment. It reminded my of a push and pop center punch tool.
I remember thinking it was snake oil at the time, but that knee hadn't given me any real pain until this go round. I kind of lost faith when they swore they could fix some other issues and could not.
 
Saw the Orthopedic Surgeon today. Knee hurts constantly, then spikes off the chart.

GN/BN:
X-rays say I'm not bone on bone.
Manipulation of my leg indicated no torn ligaments.
Symptoms point to meniscus tear.

Heading for an MRI next week. Hoping the tear is such that steroids and PT will resolve. If it is a straight tear, then surgery.

They want me to avoid hiking, especially in the crappy tangled clear cuts around here. Knee twisters for sure.

I have four days of PTO left and a cow elk muzzy tag for December. Pretty much made up my mind that Doc don't need to know.
I will have to get creative and use mountain bike and blind maybe? I haven't figured it out yet.

I have a strapping son at home to sherpa if I get one down. Gonna be optimistic and make one of my inReach presets say come and help, elk down.
How's the knee feeling now? I hope you have gotten out or are going to get out for the muzzy hunt. Keep us posted! We'd help you pack if we were close by.
 
Naproxen and liniment. Lots of popping and clunking going on there.

Got out Monday evening. Keeping to the (relative) flat and being more deliberate about where I step and how I move. MRI next week.

Did 7 miles inside Costco yesterday. Concrete is a B!tch.

Thursday and Friday off work. Those will be my last two days this season. No passing now, if its an ethical shot and legal animal, I will shoot.
 
Shattered my knee cap into multiple pieces about 15 years ago now. And have had some meniscus issues a few times over doing it. They eventually got better. My knee makes a bunch of noise and hurts at times these days after the bad hyper extension with that stupid game cart I hiked out of the back country. Chiropractor has helped me a lot as well as rock tape. (Kinesiology tape) I use the stuff all over on the regular. My job literally kicks my ass on the regular. I’ve had the tape on my knee since Wyoming. Been through hunts and was great, even the real shitty/heavy hikes. But when I take that stuff off I feel it pretty quick. It works very well for me but allows everything to move and strengthen as I continue to work or hunt. I can’t take time off being a small business owner, I just work through most of it.

All that to say, Ice, chiro, and the tape are my friends.

Kt tape is the well known brand and works well but the rock tape lasts a week or two at a time even when working and hunting.

I think I have a photo from my 1st season hunt with MtnElk

View attachment 303653
You look pretty good for a 24 year old Tarzan arborist.
 
Naproxen and liniment. Lots of popping and clunking going on there.

Got out Monday evening. Keeping to the (relative) flat and being more deliberate about where I step and how I move. MRI next week.

Did 7 miles inside Costco yesterday. Concrete is a B!tch.

Thursday and Friday off work. Those will be my last two days this season. No passing now, if its an ethical shot and legal animal, I will shoot.
Get some ice on that thing on those days off and then go get it done on the hunt. They'll get you fixed up after that MRI. Keep us posted on the hunt! You got this!
 
Buddy has been suffering from knee pain for a few years. They told him he needed to stretch. Got worse. Told him PT. Still got worse. So somebody took an x ray.

Turns out he shattered his knee cap a while back and it healed very jagged, all the professionals missed it. Probably needs surgery. Aren’t doctors wonderful?
 
Buddy has been suffering from knee pain for a few years. They told him he needed to stretch. Got worse. Told him PT. Still got worse. So somebody took an x ray.

Turns out he shattered his knee cap a while back and it healed very jagged, all the professionals missed it. Probably needs surgery. Aren’t doctors wonderful?
Hey now, cut them some slack, they're just practicing.
 
Update -
Reviewed the MRI results with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and he says I've got healthy 61 year old knees. No visible tears in ligaments or meniscus.
There is a ganglion cyst in the anterior of my left, but it appears to be a legacy artifact in their opinion.

Conclusion is that I have been suffering from over use. Maybe from humping my 260 pound ass under a pack up and back to the alpine in SEAK.
I'm cleared to return to low impact exercise. Which, the day after the winter solstice, means I need to get new batteries in my headlamp.

I bought a new saddle for the TREK. Hopefully it won't feel like I'm sitting on the post like the OEM one did.

time to Lace 'em up Buttercup.
 
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Update -
Reviewed the MRI results with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and he says I've got healthy 61 year old knees. No visible tears in ligaments or meniscus.
There is a ganglion cyst in the anterior of my left, but it appears to be a legacy artifact in their opinion.

Conclusion is that I have been suffering from over use. Maybe from humping my 260 pound ass under a pack up and back to the alpine in SEAK.
I'm cleared to return to low impact exercise. Which, the day after the winter solstice, means I need to get new batteries in my headlamp.

I bought a new saddle for the TREK. Hopefully it won't feel like I'm sitting on the post like the OEM one did.

time to Lace 'em up Buttercup.
Legacy artifact just might be the most tactful diagnostic term I've ever read...
 
have done the MRI coz knee pain like the OP. Because arthritis dr says. Have been getting cortisone shots for past couple years. They help, so do squats, as heavy as I can stand them. Knee replacement at 90ish I’m thinking.
 
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