Want to go hiking despite your osteoarthritic knees? Here's how

If you have osteoarthritis in one or both knees and are planning a hiking tour or holiday, you should listen to you body and heed what it tells you. By no means should you blithely march off.

"Osteoarthritic knees are more sensitive. But if you treat them well, you can still do a lot with them in many cases," says Dr Karl-Heinz Frosch, director of the Department of Trauma Surgery and Orthopaedics at Hamburg-Eppendorf University Medical Centre in Germany.

Osteoarthritis is a wear-and-tear condition in which the cartilage cushioning the ends of the bones in the joint gradually breaks down, causing the bones to rub together. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness and swelling. While incurable, it can be alleviated.

It's important that your knees gradually become accustomed to the strain, so you shouldn't plan long, strenuous routes. "Several consecutive days of hiking can painfully overstrain your knees too," warns Frosch. "Your knees need respites to recuperate."

Exercise in general is advisable for osteoarthritic knees. "Cartilage is trainable. Exercise lastingly strengthens the remaining cartilage tissue as well as the [surrounding] bones, tendons and muscles," he says.

Before beginning a hiking tour or holiday, people with osteoarthritis of the knee/s, and also those who are bandy-legged or knock-kneed, should consult a medical specialist about whether, and under what conditions, it's practicable. Sometimes insoles can be helpful, for instance.

High and panoramic trails are more suitable than steep climbs to summits. "Steep descents in particular put a lot of stress on the knees and should be avoided," Frosch says. To enjoy a panoramic view and spare your knees, you can take a cable car back down.

"When selecting a route, make sure there are exit options along the way," he advises, in case you have to abort the hike because your knees hurt. And even if they don't, you should allow for sufficient breaks to rest them.

Uneven terrain strewn with roots and stones ought best be avoided. Asphalt roads aren't good for sensitive knees either. "If possible, you should hike on even forest paths," recommends Frosch.

The proper shoes depend on the surface. "Soft trainers with cushioned soles are good for your joints and the right choice for even forest paths," Frosch says. On uneven terrain, however, it's better to wear hiking boots, as "they safeguard against twisting your ankle and can provide more support."

Whatever shoes you wear should be well broken in and tested by you.

A trekking pole can cushion some of your weight and thereby relieve pressure on your knees. "Especially when you're walking downhill, it can reduce the pressure by 10 to 15 kilograms," Frosch says.

If you want more support, you can wear a knee brace. "I wouldn't wear one all day or regularly though," remarks Frosch. "Braces aren't a long-term solution. It's better to purposefully strengthen the muscles ahead of time."

Compression stockings can help if your osteoarthritis causes knee swelling. "Class 1 stockings are similar to firmly fitting jogging stockings," Frosch says. "Class 2 is tighter, and you usually need a donning aid to put them on. This often makes them less popular."

Your backpack should be light. "Two or three kilograms shouldn't be a problem," he says. "And you should naturally take sufficient water with you. But carrying too much weight - or being overweight yourself - puts added stress on your knees."

A final tip: Ideally, there will be a place to stop for refreshments along your route. That way, you won't have to take as much food and drink with you.