[pct-l] Knees

[barclayb at comcast.net (barclayb@comcast.net)]

Dear Friends,

So my knees have been hurting since I came down Mt. Marcy in the Adirondacks last October.  No single moment of injury, just the impact on the descent compacted by the 15 mile hike out with no anti-inflammatories.  Never have I experienced this before.

My problem now is that I want to do a thru hike starting in May, and I'm still taking Ibuprofen and Glucosomine Condroiten (mineral joint supplement) three times daily to keep the pain down.  

I've been told this is tendonitis, but don't have health insurance for a solid second opinion.  Anyone care to shed their knee problems with me and reassure me that there's a chance I'll be able to hike 20 miles a day in two months for another 4?  What should I do?

Bill.