Fatigue / Pain Management on long hunts

[Deadfall]

Take 10" every morning and 15-20" each night to stretch, roll out stiff muscles and do flexibility/range of motion exercise....have been doing that for back and legs and it's worth the effort...water bottle or something that rolls to roll out muscles

I'm 46... Guide all fall in mountain terrain from sep to first of December before we get camps out. Then winter fun.
100 Percent this is what makes the difference. Stretch stretch and stretch somemore

 

[the_bowhunter]

Run ultra marathons, lift heavy, bring old pain meds and you’ll be set for a hike with a weapon come September that may actually turn into an elk hunt. That formula has worked for me


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[wind gypsy]

 

[Bubba]

Im 47 and have a chronic back pain from herniation of disc in the L5/S1. I train with weights and cross train through out the year. I try and walk with a pack on a few month before the season starts. I take ibuprofen with me on hunts and melatonin to help me sleep. I think Hydration and nutrition is key to helping the body recover. Making sure you replenish with electrolytes but not to over due it either.. But sometimes the body needs a day off or a day to recover. The body needs recovery so taking a day off might be warranted when feeling run down in a long hunt.

 

[trophyhill]

Have you tried getting a corticosteroid injection in your knee? I have a had surgery on both knees for meniscus tears and arthritis. One knee is fine the other still swells and gets stiff on hunts. I get a corticosteroid injection a week before my first hunt of the season. It gives me considerable relief for a month or two.

Funny you say that. I had a visit with the ortho doc last week and that is on the table. I told him that it takes forever to get an appointment. From mid January after i got back from an AZ hunt my knee went to swelling for well over a month and it took 3 and a half months to get into his office. Well of course the swelling had gone away at that point by the time i saw him last week. He gave me a number to call to get me in right away if it swells like that again and we talked about an injection. He also said that within a couple years i should think about replacement which i do not want to do. The injection may be the answer come September.

 

[Marble]

Funny you say that. I had a visit with the ortho doc last week and that is on the table. I told him that it takes forever to get an appointment. From mid January after i got back from an AZ hunt my knee went to swelling for well over a month and it took 3 and a half months to get into his office. Well of course the swelling had gone away at that point by the time i saw him last week. He gave me a number to call to get me in right away if it swells like that again and we talked about an injection. He also said that within a couple years i should think about replacement which i do not want to do. The injection may be the answer come September.

I had the injection done on my big toe in 2018. Which seems like not a big deal but man it was causing a huge issue. Pain went away immediately and and only occasionally comes back now. The injections may not be your permanent solution, but it certainly helped me. I'm supposed to have surgery on it but I want to put that off as long as I can.

I have heard they are usually pretty painful to get the injection but I didn't even know he had given me the shot so...

 

[87TT]

Funny how the older we get, the more this stuff is relevant. Did something to my right knee, which was my "good" knee, a couple of weeks ago. I was dealing with it but 3 days ago, I was walking the dog on a flat, freshly graded road and something just "went". Had x rays yesterday and the shot was offered. Waiting for the results this AM and probably go to an Ortho.

 

[Kyle C]

20mg of Adderall and 2 scoops of pre workout twice daily. Won't sleep, but won't feel a thing either.

 

[fmyth]

Funny you say that. I had a visit with the ortho doc last week and that is on the table. I told him that it takes forever to get an appointment. From mid January after i got back from an AZ hunt my knee went to swelling for well over a month and it took 3 and a half months to get into his office. Well of course the swelling had gone away at that point by the time i saw him last week. He gave me a number to call to get me in right away if it swells like that again and we talked about an injection. He also said that within a couple years i should think about replacement which i do not want to do. The injection may be the answer come September.

My ex wife is a NP and works for a local hormone replacement clinic. The Dr. that owns the clinic is very progressive. I started seeing him for TRT and mentioned my knee pain and asked him about PRP injections. He recommended starting with the Corticosteriod injections first. I still haven't needed the PRP but that's the next step for me. Maybe you could find a local family doc to do the steroid injections and not have to wait months for the ortho. Around here orthos seem to be the rock stars of the medical world and the $ and time it takes to see one is almost as painful as my knee.

 

[fmyth]

I had the injection done on my big toe in 2018. Which seems like not a big deal but man it was causing a huge issue. Pain went away immediately and and only occasionally comes back now. The injections may not be your permanent solution, but it certainly helped me. I'm supposed to have surgery on it but I want to put that off as long as I can.

I have heard they are usually pretty painful to get the injection but I didn't even know he had given me the shot so...

The shot to the knee/meniscus was nothing compared to the shots I got in my shoulder for my rotator cuff injury! I stood for the shots and almost passed out. A shot to the toe sounds painful to me. Glad it gave you some relief.

 

[fmyth]

Im 47 and have a chronic back pain from herniation of disc in the L5/S1. I train with weights and cross train through out the year. I try and walk with a pack on a few month before the season starts. I take ibuprofen with me on hunts and melatonin to help me sleep. I think Hydration and nutrition is key to helping the body recover. Making sure you replenish with electrolytes but not to over due it either.. But sometimes the body needs a day off or a day to recover. The body needs recovery so taking a day off might be warranted when feeling run down in a long hunt.

I pack a fishing pole for those days when I feel like I need to sleep in and take it easy. No way I could sit around camp and relax knowing that the elk aren't taking a day off.

 

[87TT]

The Doc would have given me the shot yesterday but I chose to hold off for now.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

+1 on rolling out things. Helped my knee a ton last year.

Another +1 for the foam roller. It is a game changer if you want to hike day after day. Another trick I learned back in the day is to roll out your legs then lie on your back with your feet up against a wall for 20 min. Your feet will feel tingly eventually like they are falling asleep then after 20 min lie down normally for a while until you feel normal. This lets all the blood and lactic acid drain from your legs and you will feel much better.

 

[BCSojourner]

I'm a late-to-the-game middle aged wanna-be poser elk hunter, and my question is how do you manage fatigue/muscle pain on long hunts (like 10 to 14 days)....As a 49 year old, I do my best to get my body ready for the upcoming season (rucking, weight training, cardio, hiking, hill training), but as others in the same age category how do you keep your body from breaking down on those grueling, grinding hunts? I mean after a few days of good work outs here in the flatlands of WI I can feel my joints and muscles just saying 'slow down a little bit'...

Other than trying to get as much quality sleep as possible, staying hydrated, and making sure to eat enough, are there any other tips or tricks you have to keep the body from breaking down? Ibuprofen and Tylenol cocktails?

Just a quick tip. Pickle juice is great for cramps and I now stock the little 5-hr energy-sized bottles in camp plus carry one in my pack. Other good stuff in those little bottles (vitamins, etc.). As we age it works great and can really help at night after a hard day hunting.

 

[chizelhead]

Lots of good ideas on this thread.

Salt stick capsules work well for endurance and cramps. They were a game changer when I discovered them. They're electrolytes that enable you to drink clean water without mixing. I used to use them on long bike rides and they're in my pack for backpack hunts. They're efficient and only weigh what they weigh without added liquid.

I also like Jelly Belly Sport Beans for an energy boost. They taste good and aren't messy. I tend to lose my appetite when I backpack hunt, so these help keep my energy and appetite up.

 

[Mish-pop]

Take 10" every morning and 15-20" each night to stretch, roll out stiff muscles and do flexibility/range of motion exercise....have been doing that for back and legs and it's worth the effort...water bottle or something that rolls to roll out muscles

As a physical therapist I highly recommend this! Helps with pain but may also help to reduce inflammation and injury.

 

[Mish-pop]

Have you tried getting a corticosteroid injection in your knee? I have a had surgery on both knees for meniscus tears and arthritis. One knee is fine the other still swells and gets stiff on hunts. I get a corticosteroid injection a week before my first hunt of the season. It gives me considerable relief for a month or two.

Relying on corticosteroid injections can do more harm than good in the future. The injection can sometimes accelerate breakdown of the joint structures. May want to visit more with your physician on long term implications. But yes they definitely do help to reduce the pain. Lots of great info that is being posted in this thread.

 

[Elk97]

I finally figured out that at 70 I couldn't keep up with my sons (mid 40s) and started hunting by myself for a day or two every 3-4 days. I take it easy, go slow, don't climb as high, etc., may even sleep in a bit. Rejuvenates me and then I go back to pretending that I'm not slowing them down. It's been working for the last couple of years now. Also, I started taking Gingko Biloba a month or so before archery season, helps going from sea level to 7-9K'

 

[*zap*]

you get ready for long hunts by proper training, volume/frequency. most people just do to much to fast because they think they will 'get in shape' for the upcoming hunt but it really is all about staying in shape and gradually increasing your thresholds. especially for the older person and also for the younger person who is extremely fit. many young people use their youth to offset proper training..it takes years to get really fit depending on your starting point. many people like to sit and eat cheetos to much..

 

[5MilesBack]

many people like to sit and eat cheetos to much..

I'm living proof that you can sit and eat cheeto's too much (at home and on a hunt), as well as apple fritters, cinnamon rolls, and pie every day.......and still have great elk hunts every year.