The knees

[MT]

Considering age and the fact that you use your knees pretty hard (65 lb pack and all), I'd say it might be early signs of knee osteoarthritis that is being exacerbated by your workout regimen. Sometimes symptoms can flare up for who knows what reason, but most cases are brought on by some mechanical stimulus/injury. Training, and resistance-type training, is generally good for your knees if you've got those aches and pains that seem like early OA, but too much or done the wrong way, anything can do more harm than good.

Talk to a Ortho doc or PT/AT about your symptoms and what you should/should not be doing. I presume that you're not willing to stop hauling around the 65 lb pack (heck, I wouldn't), but you can modify other things and train more effectively so that you get more years out of your knees. Key thing here is to get a really good doc or PT/AT who will sit down and work w/ you...and, quite frankly, is knowledgeable. There's a lot of unsubstantiated stuff being recommended by Orthos/PTs/ATs, and some stuff that is downright quackery. It's difficult to sort through it if you don't have medical training, so shop around and use common sense.

Good luck!

Mike

[hobbsj]

Interesting.. i was just talking with a PT who thinks that movement in certain arthritis situations can cause MORE inflammation !?

Every case is different as with the etiology.  That's why the treatment of different forms can vary so much.  They are all called arthritis, but can be very different.  For example, cancer is "rogue cells"  in the same way arthritis is compromising of connective tissue.  But different cancers are treated differently.

As far as the whole water in the connective tissue thing, champ, recheck your sources with stuff.  You really can start out with good info on this stuff and then take a huge nosedive.  For example, there is low vasculature in the connective tissue.  But if they were going to fill with all this water, where would it come from?  Has to get there somewhere.  Magic gates won't open to suck up water from the peripheral tissue.  There has to be an influx of water somehow to create the osmotic gradient.  You're right on about prolonged healing in that tissue compared to others, but man, some of the other stuff you come up with!

Bottom line Nico, a bunch of wankers on a forum should be your last resource in any sort of diagnosis or advice, especially in something that can become a chronic issue.  Check with a doc.  Don't trust a lot of certifications out there on the regular market with this stuff as many are glorified "send in 5 UPC's and get your free certification from Wheaties."  Most trainers are given direction by marketing, especially if a brand recognition is attached, and don't really know that much beyond the exercises they are shown and what they read from wankers on forums, which really sucks for the select few out there who are really really good.  Trust me, I had to take one of those courses to get certified for insurance purposes.  I left wondering how much dumber I became.  Rest never hurts.  And these bits of pain here and there can be indicative of another issue getting ready to rear its head.  Find some knowledgeable individuals that you feel you can work well with, and don't shop around waiting until somebody tells you a diagnosis/TX plan that you want to hear, but rather one that you can adhere to.

[ELM]

Interesting.. i was just talking with a PT who thinks that movement in certain arthritis situations can cause MORE inflammation !?

That's a new one for me! Injuries require rest, arthritis does not. Most of these chronic inflammation based issues improve with excercise.

And Hobbsj I had to send in 6 UPC's for my certificate! I also got a nice pin and a malpratice insurance bill.

[hobbsj]

Interesting.. i was just talking with a PT who thinks that movement in certain arthritis situations can cause MORE inflammation !?

That's a new one for me! Injuries require rest, arthritis does not. Most of these chronic inflammation based issues improve with excercise.

And Hobbsj I had to send in 6 UPC's for my certificate! I also got a nice pin and a malpratice insurance bill.

Not saying you personally since I have no idea who you are.  You could be the world's most advanced researcher in connective tissue injuries.  Why you would be lurking on a climbing forum, I have no idea.  And any wanker can be posting ridiculous claims (me included for all you know) But, most training certifications are a joke and the average person doesn't know the difference, which again, sucks for those who do have knowledge and higher level certifications.  As for the 6 upc's, you got jipped.  Did at least get a free set of steak knives and free delivery out of the deal?

[strandman]

For me , we were talkingan arthritis/gout combo.... it seemed to make sense with the crystals and all

She also has known me for 30+ years and climbed 25 of those which i think helps

A lot of wankers are on forums.. just like hospitals   

[ELM]

Interesting.. i was just talking with a PT who thinks that movement in certain arthritis situations can cause MORE inflammation !?

That's a new one for me! Injuries require rest, arthritis does not. Most of these chronic inflammation based issues improve with excercise.

And Hobbsj I had to send in 6 UPC's for my certificate! I also got a nice pin and a malpratice insurance bill.

Not saying you personally since I have no idea who you are.  You could be the world's most advanced researcher in connective tissue injuries.  Why you would be lurking on a climbing forum, I have no idea.  And any wanker can be posting ridiculous claims (me included for all you know) But, most training certifications are a joke and the average person doesn't know the difference, which again, sucks for those who do have knowledge and higher level certifications.  As for the 6 upc's, you got jipped.  Did at least get a free set of steak knives and free delivery out of the deal?

 
    No knives...just a pile of books.
    Totally understand...was just having some fun.
    I think all medical info is suspect unless you really know the clinician.
    Medicine is becoming way too specialized and that leads to experts in very tightly focused areas who have no idea about anything outside of their specialty.

[strandman]

ED- that me be the understatement of the year   

i have a cardiologist who can fix the ticker, but has no idea why i have joint problems  "how could climbing mess up your knees ?"

[ELM]

ED- that me be the understatement of the year   

i have a cardiologist who can fix the ticker, but has no idea why i have joint problems  "how could climbing mess up your knees ?"

Yeah...how did that happen??
    In my experience most nurses are better at general medicine than most MD's. No surprise there though. Med students are forced to pick specialties that will give them the ability to pay off their obscene student loans.
   

[darwined]

 [/quote]
    Medicine is becoming way too specialized and that leads to experts in very tightly focused areas who have no idea about anything outside of their specialty.
[/quote]

True story.  This spring I said "THE Goodbye" to my wife.  I later learned that the surgeon who told me to say goodbye had never seen my wife's condition before, but most OBGYN's have.  She lived.

Sorry, back to knees.