Old knees and trailer steps

[The_Dung_Beetle]

This is not a question - but I'm sharing something I've discovered.

I am no spring chicken, and I have noticed my knees really start to bother me after I've been busying making multiple trips in/out of the TT whether it's to load, unload.. clean after a trip.. whatever. My knees (mostly my right knee) feel fatigued, unstable and became annoyingly painful. I'm not in terrible shape, but that activity seems to be putting an unexpected stress on my knees (we have 3 steps up). I always ended up taking a few days of anti-inflammatories to settle things back down.

So, last spring I purchased 2 "Mueller Jumpers Knee Straps". You can find them for $6 - $10 bucks at various stores. TALK ABOUT A KNEE SAVER!! They stay up, don't slide around and I forget I even have them on they are so comfortable. Now, I put them on prior to my in/out chores in the TT and the issues are completely GONE.

Our neighbor commented to me that she was really having knee issues after they went on a trip late summer. So, I mentioned these straps to her. After suffering for awhile she tried one, and even she reports that her knee is feeling WAY better with the use of the strap during her recovery period. She's sold and is purchasing 2 to keep in her rig.

So.. I'm just sharing a tip that appears to be very helpful. If you have not had some specific injury causing the pain, but your knees seem to be an issue for you try one (or two) of those knee straps. You might be VERY surprised at the stability these simple straps give to your knees when making lots of trips up/down/in/out of the camper stairs.

Mueller's Jumper Knee Support

*I'm not affiliated with Mueller on any levels - just have had such great luck with these straps that I wanted to pass that little discovery on*
.

[samsontdog]

I just ordered mine !

[2012Coleman]

Just remember that knee replacement will not jeep you from walking, going up steps, etc. They can actually be a new lease on life. An xray can let your Dr. know when no more cartilage exists, and then it's time to do it. Good news on the brace helping you out. The trick is to not let pain stop you from excercising, rather find something like this that can help or consider surgery.

[The_Dung_Beetle]

Also... I walk 2.5 miles daily. When we added hill miles several months ago my knees began to grump at me again. So, I began to wear the straps when we walk. Any goofy steps I MIGHT take on the uneven ground (in the low light of dawn) is minimized by having the knee straps on for stability. I understand there are many other knee issues that might cause people problems that these straps will never help

I'm just suggesting these straps be considered for added stability doing repetitive routine movements that might stress our "old" knees..lol

Thanks for all the comments. I guess I'm hoping using these straps will keep me from NEEDING new knees in the future.
.

[TucsonJim]

From my Daughter-in-law who is a physical therapist: "Tell those folks who have painful knees to remember this when going up and down steps - Up with the good leg, down with the bad".

So, if you have a painful knee, tackle one step at a time by putting your good leg up first, then bringing the painful one up to the same step. Then repeat the process for each step. When coming down, step down with your painful knee first, then go the same step with the good leg. Repeat for each step. This will put minimal strain on already painful knees.

[rockhillmanor]

Thanks for the info.

It's the 'RV step' that causes the added pain.

I'll just add that after I went full time I became almost totally incapable of walking from going in and out of the MH. That RV step is just short of you being able to put your foot down straight and that added little twist you have to do every time you exit the RV is what wrecked both of my knees. I actually thought I would have to have surgery and come off the road of RV'ing.

I bought a plastic light weight step stool from Ace that fits 'perfectly' up against any RV where the door is. When parked at a CG I add 2 cinder blocks up against the step stool. I use this combo instead of the RV step and ahhhh walking out the door finally felt just like at home.

Makes a HUGE difference how you can just walk out of the RV normally. Within 2 days my knees went back to normal.

[tvman44]

I ended up getting new knees. That was fun. 🙂

[dennisgt60]

Thanks much for the info.

[Handyman_Xenabl]

Thanks for the info - these are going on my list to Santa :B