dodgy knees; what to do

[teviotlad]

am 51 and find that if i am digging a few targets, and squatting to dig them, my left knee can be very painfull for the next couple of days. feels like tendon type issue. am not overweight. just old age i guess. do any other diggers have this problem ? merry xmas all and hope 2012 brings the gold to you.

 

[Sailorman]

I'm 52 and everything hurts, I'm just stubborn I guess. Having a wife who likes to dig my targets helps a lot though.....

Squatting is something my bad knee cartilage doesn't tolerate. Kneeling is about my only option.

Now my shoulders, oy, lets just say I change arms a lot to swing.

 

[mudpuppy]

I'm 52, I drop to one knee (left) to dig anything deeper than 4" ...for shallow targets, I do a wide leg stoop, think of a girafffe taking a drink, and rest both of my elbows on the tops of my knees and stab at the targets with a screwdriver...Maybe try to break up your day, and kick chips in a totlot for a while, or work a sandy area with a long handled scoop.?
No problems with knee pain, but glute muscles get a work out. I think the quicker you can get a target and get yourself back up vertical the better off you are. Also, depending on what you are after, Maybe going after deep silver and digging deep holes is something you should only do sparingly? Hitting shallow targets fast is fun and easy, it usually only takes 10/15 minutes to work a totlot, then you are on to the next one, or sweeping the sidelines of a sports field for shallow freshies,...I carry NO gear except a screwdriver, so maybe even the weight of a toolbelt is adding to your pain?
Life has been hard on us, and I'm sure we are all busted up to some extent at this point, I think this hobby has added 20 years to my life, hope this helps.
Mud

 

[zeekeys]

Teviotlad
I am 70 soon to be 71. Hip fusion on the left side. I can not get down on both knees without a lot of groaning and fuss. I really can not bend down and scoop up shallow targets too many times because back starts to act up. I get down on the left knee with a knee pad on and dig shallow targets up to 4". The longer I am down the harder it is to get up so don't dig too many targets past 5" or more. I, like Mud dig with a screwdriver. I use a 9" screwdriver and use it to help me get up. There is a company that makes a digger that is around 18" long that I am thinking of for my next digging tool. I can pick up about 100 coins in a day and that seems to be about the limit for me because I am exhausted. When I find a coin that is close to the top of the ground I use the pin pointer to check the surrounding area for other coins so I don't have to get up and down again.
It is a great hobby and I enjoy it very much. I am trying to enjoy it as long as I can...
Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas.....Z.

 

[Sven]

Yup fell my left knee start to hurt by 100 coins but, keep on going as long as the findings are good.
Takes longer to get back up and tect'in after 100 coins. May see stars as I try to get back up on two feet.
The next day my knee will be swelled and have to
take it easy. Not to mention the sore leg and butt cheek muscles..........
Tried switching knees when bending down, much easier but awkward ................
Best advice I got was to take some over the counter pain pills before you go hunting, or some pills that
reduce inflammation. The best creme to rub in is called Voltarin
Works great on bad wrists as well. I keep a tube at work.

Getting old sucks as we all eventually find out. Funny how the once newer coins get older too.

 

[blade310]

I am 53 and just found out that I have arthritis in both knees. I can do a 3-4-5 hour hunt with no problems. its the next day that gets me. that's when the pain kicks in but by the next day I'm ready to do it all again. the only time I have felt any discomfort right after a hunt was the day I hunted for ten hours. luckily there was a porta john on site. the coins just kept coming that day. 266 coins that day!. I was 40 or 50 miles from home. my whole body ached. the drive home was miserable (hurt so much). But for a day like that I would do it again in a heart beat. Oh, and one silver ring. not pictured.

 

[Elton]

Get some knee pads..One for each knee Lower knees to ground while digging... Bet you find this a bit better rather than straining leg and knee muscles squatting..

 

[Bowie]

Knee pads are good!!! I carry a small mat, made of closed cell rubber (moister,water will not absorb into it). I have a loop,made from a strap of leather tied to it and keep it looped over my Lesche handle. I get ready to dig, I just drop it to the ground and kneel down on it, nice and comfy for my kness, keeps my wife happy, no stains on my pants from the grass/dirt. And it stays out of the way while swinging my detector.
Im 57, and my knees are worn out also,lol.
Merry Christmas,
John

 

[osgood]

i agree with ibuprofen prior to some hunts. I kneel on one knee and if it is not a very quick recovery, I immediately go to all fours and work- the trick is to keep the spine and the knees ( even if flexed) fairly straight within their plane. Im fortunate my knees arent too bad- squatting will definitely bug the knees if prolonged. If in the woods I definitely use a shovel first as it spares my hands and again the amount of time down low. I ve recently used knees pads which i use more because they keep my knees drier and when I shower Im then not working to correct the black knee dirt tattoo. Both the back and the knees, its the twisting torque that will agitate them anatomically. By the way gloves are nice, there are those breathable, washable ones with nitral touch technology for about five bucks a pair- they protect you from immediate scratches, skin assault, cold, and yet are designed to allow you a minimal loss of actual sensitivity of your skin when you might be down in there feeling around etc. You still have to wash your hands when you get home, but perhaps 90 percent of the dirt is held back from your skin- find them in hardware store gardening section. A good pinpointer also minimizes the amount of time you are stressing your body. Merry Christmas all, CO

 

[:Left4Dead]

So guys Im only 40 so I can still do much , but I too get sore after hunting all day. One great tip I can give is get a little Sampson or Raven digging tool. I know some will say you cant take it to a park , or you cant dig in a nice area. Trust me after 1000"s of digs you can make an awesome hole and just like using your lesche cover it back up so no one will ever see. Also I keep it at my side, and have not had any complaints or problems yet. I think I am able to dig a deeper hole with less damage to the green. Also I only bend down to grab my loot.

Plus since you dig with your feet , less toll on your upper body as well as less time squatting.

Mike

 

[WV62]

Get some knee pads..One for each knee Lower knees to ground while digging... Bet you find this a bit better rather than straining leg and knee muscles squatting..

Going with Elton, squatting kills me, I am 63 and it's knee pads and knees on the ground.

Getting up was my first thing I had to overcome after I retired and started getting back into detecting, no more deep knee bends. For a while I was using my detector shaft to help climb up and then I thought this wasn't good for the detector, so I came up with a trick that works for me. Starting up my left leg is out in front of me bent 90 degrees at the knee with my foot flat on the ground, my left arm is on top of the left knee to push up, my right knee is on the ground. Then I kind of rock forward and straighten out both legs and I am up. As best as I can describe it looks a little like a sprint runner getting ready to takeoff, without the takeoff.

I never said anything about this before because I thought I was the only one getting old.

Ron In WV

 

[zeekeys]

You guys make me laugh. There is one common thought that runs through all the replies. The body may suffer but I am not going to call it quits. The enjoyment far exceeds the pains. I will do this for as long as I can.
Thanks Teviotlad for the post and thanks guys for the replies. I was beginning to think me and Mud were the only crazies here... Just had to say it Mud. Sorry... Happy Trails.....Z

 

[Canewrap]

Roofer's knee pads and get a young partner that likes to dig, then work in tandem. That's what my son and I do.

 

[TheGeorgiaCanuck]

WD-40 works great on swollen knuckles or knee's. My Dad swore by it. Yanks the moisture right out of the joints.

 

[cadman_us]

At 52, I have learned that taking two Aleve (or generic equivalent) before a hunt can make a lot of difference during the hunt and the day after....

 

[MNCoinhunter]

In the first couple of weeks of the new detecting season, one of my knees will decide to remind me that I am 42 and not as spry as I used to be.

 

[teviotlad]

you have to laugh. sounds like geriatrics united this thread. but some good replies to make you think. next time out i will try some of your tips to avoid the day after knee pain. it certainly stops you diggin all the targets like you did back in the golden age of youth. still love to go tectin though i hope i never get too old to miss the thrill of a solid target and a nice find.

 

[jim tn]

I am 71 and have no aches and pains from hunts up to seven hours. I do, though, do the gym thing from 5a to 6a at least five mornings a week. 40 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes with weight machines. I wear one knee pad and kneel to retrieve every target necessary to dig. Every couple of days I change the pad to the other knee. I mention my routine and habits as they have worked well for me. Oh, I also hunt daily for an average of 4 hours, barring bad weather. HH jim tn

 

[TheGeorgiaCanuck]

Someone on this forum or another once posted these knee pads.

Patella-T Wedge Kneepads: If you have sore knees or surgically repaired knees this is the pad for you. A fluid pack actually disperses pressure on the kneecap making kneeing less painful. The wedge style cap is designed to provide stability for those people who knee straight down on one or both knees. The long strap is for individuals who measure greater than 19 inches just above the knee.


gel kneepads

 

[jmaryt]

i'm 61,and have to do the "knee pad" thing!
i'm usually good for a 5 hour stretch,or so.
if i'm "kickin butt" i'll stick for another couple hours
just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t..