The Importance of Knee Health in Rucking

As passionate ruckers here at Ruckliving, we fully understand the monumental importance of proactively protecting our knees during this intense, high-impact activity. Our knee joints absorb the brunt of the force from all that weighted walking. Mile after mile, our knee cartilage, ligaments, and surrounding muscles bear the burden of propelling us forward under load. That’s why prioritizing joint health through preventative measures is completely paramount for sustaining longevity as a rucker.

We have already talked about how rucking can impact your knees in the past. However, in this in-depth article, we’ll thoroughly share our top 11 tips for comprehensively caring for your knees to keep them in tip-top shape during rucking training and events. From smart gear choices and training adjustments to recovery and technique, we’ll cover a gamut of actionable advice so you can continue rucking confidently for years to come. Let’s dive in!

Choose the Right Footwear

Having properly fitted, performance-oriented footwear designed specifically for rugged terrain goes a profoundly long way in fully supporting our entire lower body, especially our knee joints. Trail running shoes with enhanced cushioning, stability features, and pronounced heel-to-toe drops help absorb damaging impact and reduce acute strain on our knees and sensitive meniscus cartilage. We strongly recommend shoes equipped with a protective yet flexible rock plate in the midsole to shield your feet from sharp impacts on uneven ground. This prevents jarring forces from traumatizing your knees.

Replacing worn running shoes regularly, before the cushioning breaks down from hundreds of miles underfoot, also helps safeguard your joints by providing consistent shock absorption. Rotate between 2-3 quality pairs to maximize their lifespan. For heavier rucking, some choose sturdy tactical boots for added ankle support and stability. Be sure to break them in fully to prevent blisters before hitting the trail.

Build Up Gradually

One of the single best proactive things we can deliberately do for our knees is to incrementally build up rucking time and distance in an intelligent, gradual manner. This allows our entire musculoskeletal system to progressively adapt to the new training demands. Our bones, joints, tendons, muscles, and connective tissues strengthen slowly in response to the increasing load.

Avoid ramping up your weekly ruck mileage or weight too drastically too quickly. Similarly, resist the urge to overdo longer ruck marches until your body has time to condition itself to the duration. Follow the “10% rule” - limit weekly mileage increases to no more than 10% above the previous week. This controlled, patient approach prevents accidentally overstressing the knees and leading to painful overuse injuries that set your training back for months.

Listen closely to subtle clues from your body and schedule dedicated rest days regularly, even if you feel unstoppable. Consistency over time trumps intensity when building a resilient rucking body. Better to be slightly undertrained than acutely injured. Believe us, we’ve learned this lesson the hard way ourselves!

Strengthen Surrounding Muscles

Strong, balanced and responsive muscles surrounding the knees provide incredible dynamic joint stabilization while bearing load during rucking. The quadriceps and hamstrings that frame the knee joint especially help support each step. But don’t neglect the muscular chains along the entire leg either - hips, glutes, adductors, calves. We firmly incorporate focused strength training into our regular fitness routines to build the most durable, injury-resistant knees possible.

Compound exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, and step-ups using added resistance help us replicate the demands of rucking. We also swear by resistance bands for activating stabilizer muscles along the outside of the hips and knees. Balance training, yoga, and Pilates strengthen these same lower body muscle groups using solely body weight as well. Keeping our legs comprehensively conditioned for the task through cross-training makes rucking feel noticeably easier on our joints.

Use Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are absolute game-changers when it comes to dramatically reducing strain on the knees over long distances. The poles help transfer some of the impact forces away from the legs onto the upper body with each and every step. They also vastly improve overall stability, balance, and efficiency of movement on variable terrain.

We wholeheartedly recommend using adjustable lightweight poles on any longer ruck march, especially when carrying a heavier pack weight. Take full advantage of trekking poles to give your knees a break from constantly bearing the brunt of each foot strike. Over the course of a multi-hour march, poles make a monumental difference in squaring away knee discomfort. They also give your upper body a great workout!

For sizing, adjust pole length so your elbows bend at around 90 degrees when the tip strikes the ground. As you step forward, plant the pole tip diagonally ahead in line with your opposite foot. Grip the handles lightly, avoiding white knuckles, as you transfer weight smoothly from leg to arm. It may feel awkward at first, but you’ll soon get into a natural, knee-friendly rhythm on the trail.

Wear Knee Braces

For those ruckers recovering from past knee injuries or continuing to battle pain during training, wearing a neoprene knee sleeve or flexible functional knee brace can provide extra stability, compression, and peace of mind. Always consult your physician before using one to ensure the brace properly fits your needs. Have a professional properly measure and fit the brace first too.

During rehabilitation, work the brace into regular daily activities first to break it in fully before tackling longer ruck distances. While braces limit certain motions, they can allow you to continue training carefully while healing. But beware braces that make you feel like Superman - the joint likely still needs protection and could be at risk without conscious movement modifications. Listen to your doctor, your brace, and your body in concert.

Listen To Your Body

Along the same lines, we cannot possibly stress enough the vital need to listen closely to any knee discomfort arising before, during, or after rucking. It’s normal for joint lines, tendons, and ligaments to feel mildly fatigued from the effort. However, sharp or sudden pains, instability in the knee, or next-day swelling should raise red flags.

Never “ruck through the pain” thinking it will dissipate. Ignoring clear body alarms often exacerbates existing issues and prolongs recovery. Instead, immediately stop and evaluate your situation if knee pain appears. Analyze your gear, terrain, training level, and movement patterns. Seek clues for what brought on this warning sign. Address the root cause properly then ease back into training carefully. Consulting a sports medicine doctor at the first suspicion of a rucking overuse injury provides expert guidance in getting back on track.

Prioritize Rest & Recovery

Giving our bodies the proper rest they unequivocally need after intense rucking workouts proves absolutely vital for keeping knees healthy long-term. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of scheduling dedicated rest days - at least 1-2 days totally off per week - to allow stressed muscles, joints, and connective tissues ample time to fully recover and bounce back even stronger.

This recovery time also allows essential muscle repair and rebuilding to occur. Focused protein consumption paired with healthy carbs and fats soon after your last step further accelerates this reconstruction. Our muscles grow back bigger during rest, not during the workout itself. Between consistent training stimuli, ample nutrition, and high-quality sleep, our bodies adapt. Have patience in building capacity and remember that rest is when the magic happens.

Use Proper Form

In our experience, using proper rucking and walking techniques goes a tremendously long way toward effectively decreasing unnecessary strain on the knees over multiple miles. We intentionally keep our core muscles actively engaged to avoid excessive leaning that can torque the knees. When stepping, drive force production powerfully from the hips and glutes instead of just the quads.

Take shorter, quicker steps uphill and wider steps with an exaggerated hip hinge downhill to optimize knee positioning. Maintain an ideal upright posture through the torso, neck, and ankles to stack joints directly above each other. This alignment significantly reduces shear forces and unwanted torque through the knees. Keep those knees centered directly over the ankle!

Also be sure to take full advantage of helpful terrain by incorporating cambered surfaces, using rocks and roots as natural steps, and creatively managing various obstacles underfoot. The key is effectively engaging all muscle groups together instead of overisolating the knee joint.

Vary Terrain

We always mix up our rucking routes as much as possible to incorporate different surfaces, grades, and obstacles. This variety challenges our bodies in new ways while reducing repetitive impact in the same exact motion pattern. For example, prolonged pounding on hard concrete day after day often prematurely fatigues joint structures.

Instead, we proactively seek out softer dirt trails, grass, gravel, or sand when possible to provide some variety. The slight instability of trail terrain also fires more ancillary stabilizer muscles compared to roads. We also utilize hills strategically - climbs work the quads and cardio system harder while descents emphasize eccentric glute control. Choose the right terrain that matches your training goals and knee needs that day.

Warm Up & Cool Down

Just like with any exercise regimen, properly warming up our major muscle groups before jumping into rucking and cooling down correctly afterward proves tremendously vital for healthy knees and preventing injuries. We always take at least 5-10 minutes beforehand to dynamically stretch and open up our hips, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves through a series of bodyweight movements.

Mobilizing the ankle and midfoot is also key before slapping a heavy pack on. We prefer activating these muscles through movement rather than static stretching alone. Afterward, we prioritize continuing light walking, foam rolling, compression gear, and protein consumption to speed recovery. Building these habits into your routine protects the knees and supports the next day’s training.

Consider Supplements

Certain supplements may potentially help maintain the strength and flexibility of knee structures during periods of intense training. We often take collagen peptides, glucosamine/chondroitin, omega-3 fish oils, or curcumin to help nourish our joints from the inside out. A clean, whole foods diet naturally rich in bone broths, antioxidant-packed fruits and vegetables, and anti-inflammatory healthy fats also provides the building blocks for strong connective tissues.

Always check with your sports medicine doctor before starting any new supplement regimen alongside your training. While most joint supplements are likely safe for otherwise healthy adults, your physician may recommend specific dosing or brands best suited to your needs. Do your research to ensure you take high-quality products from reputable companies.

Communicate with Your Body

We’ll finish by repeating our initial point: listen closely to your knees! Joint pain is your body’s very loud and clear signal to identify and resolve a biomechanical issue causing harm. Push through mild muscle soreness and fatigue from a good workout. But immediately address sharp joint pain or swelling properly rather than ignoring it. Scaling back training is sometimes the wisest course. Reevaluate gear, form, or terrain and implement the appropriate remedy. Rucking should energize your entire body, not just beat up your knees. With patience and wisdom, happy knees will literally carry you anywhere you want to wander!