Knees!

[BarneyRubble]

I have a knee related question for the worldly wise folk at RB:

I have cycled for 20+ years and never had any problems with my knees, then at the CLIC 24 on my 3rd lap I started to get a burning pain across the front and back of both of my knee caps. I didn't think much of it and carried on to complete the lap. By the time I did my next lap a couple of hours later the burn had become a stabbing pain, so much so that I finished the lap and was unable to do any more.

By the morning the pain was so severe I could hardly sit down (the pain is far worse with the knee bent) and so I decided to take a week off riding and excercise to see if they got better. By the Wednesday the pain had not gone and a trip to my Doc confirmed that my Femur has been rubbing the back of my knee caps causing the pain. Apparently rest would make it get better, but there is nothing to say it won't happen again.

I laid of the riding until Tuesday (10 days) and the pain had gone. However to my dismay after my cycle to work on Wednesday morning, (a gentle 3 miles) the pain was back, but only in my left knee.

I think I am going to have to have another week off the bike, but there is no guarantee it will sort the problem and in the meantime I will sit in traffic on beautiful sunny days when I could be on the bike.

Has any one else experienced the same problem called "Chondromalacia patellae" or 'patellofemoral pain syndrome' ? If so, have you cured it or avoiding it ruining your cycling life?

I need help as my Doc is useless and cycling is the only sport I have ever enjoyed!

 

[i-am-iron-man]

Knees

Funny you should post this today - I've just had a week off cycling with something similar...

I get back / neck / wrist niggles from time-to-time, but after completing and riding a new road bike build I thought my number was up when my left knee went - awful, horrible pain when putting pressure down onto the pedal. It hurt more after a ride than during. For example, I could complete a road ride, but then it would hurt getting up and down stairs afterwards, and then a tiny trip on my singlespeed would feel really awful.

Everything *seems* ok now - turns out my decision to buy cranks 2.5mm longer than usual was a baaaaaad move! Have you googled it? There is stacks and stacks to read, but ultimately your doctor would be your best bet - even though I fully sympathise about how bad they can be.

 

[BarneyRubble]

I haven't changed anything on the bike, although I think my saddle could have been half an inch higher on the first 2 laps of the ride. I have googled it, but most don't seem to offer any real solution other than rest.

Maybe I am doomed!

 

[i-am-iron-man]

I haven't changed anything on the bike, although I think my saddle could have been half an inch higher on the first 2 laps of the ride. I have googled it, but most don't seem to offer any real solution other than rest.

Maybe I am doomed!

As overly-simple as it sounds, after the amount of upset the additional 2.5mm of crank caused me, and the fact that you have a long track record of trouble-free knees (as have I), then the saddle could be the culprit - especially if you were racing on it.

Check http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm. Saddle position and height is critical to pain in the knees and lower back - much more than I ever realised after years and years of pain-free riding.

 

[BONTY1]

Have had pain in the knees myself.Mine hurt and would occasionally my leg would collapse! Suddenly give way when weight was on it. Was mainly my left knee and the odd twang from the right! Mainly when walking round the house.Stopped riding the singlespeeds and fixed wheels which seem to have helped! Recently it felt the same,again only when off the bike.Get the odd ache at the moment when i'am cycling.Don't want to stop,but am i doing more harm than good? Been to the doctor and physio a few times and they do comment on the noise my knee makes and gave me a few excersizes to do,which help a little. My mate gets a few problems but believes cycling will keep it moving where as stopping it could seize it up! I continue cycling in the hope it won't get any worse.
Thanx Max

 

[BarneyRubble]

Check http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm. Saddle position and height is critical to pain in the knees and lower back - much more than I ever realised after years and years of pain-free riding.

That link is great thanks. There may be a number of solutions there, time to do some fettling!

 

[Khane]

any of you tryed a chiropractor.

i screwed my knee up about 5 yrs ago whilst out on the bike.
went through all the medical channels, couple of courses of physio did nothing, MRI scan and keyhole surgery found nothing.
doctors basicly wrote me off.

went to a chiro and got a diagnosis of my problem on my 1st visit, and slowly but surely my knee is getting a damn site better.

not been able to ride the bike in all that time yet now, i'm back on it and getting my leg strength back up.

currently doing a 3.5mile curcuit with a couple of moderate uphills in around 15 mins.

so my advice to you is if it doesnt get better in time go see a chiro.

 

[dyna-ti]

On long all day out on me bike pottering around type biking
My knees hurt when i stop

Must be getting old :shock:

 

[MrNero50]

I too sometimes get knee pain.

I've tried everything, adjusting saddle height, moving the saddle forwards/backwards, swapping my SPD's to flats.

But by far the most effective has been to stretch my knees - I find the best way is to kneel on the floor and sit on my ankles (if that makes sense). I stretch my knees before a ride too, it seems to help!

 

[Student Bob]

Knee pain is a bugger to sort out, 'cos rest is always best, but it's tricky to stop using your knees.....

Seems to me there's certainly a problem either with the patellar tendon or the patellofemoral joint. The patella tendon connects your quads to the top of your tibia, you can feel a bump on the very front of your lower leg, about an inch or two down from your kneecap, that's the attachment. The tendon encloses the patella which runs in a groove in the femur to reduce friction (most of the time!), so when your knees are bent, the muscle and tendon are stretched over the knee, that's why it hurts more. You've possibly either got patellar tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon, or damage to the cartilage in that groove, if the symptoms ease if you push your patella inwards - ie towards the other knee cap - whilst straightening your leg, it's probably cartilage.

To be honest, there's not a whole lot anyone else can do, it's all about PRICE - protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. Try not to stress the knee too much. Keep it iced, two or three times a day, get the frozen peas on it for 10-15 mins at a time. If it's swollen (probably not?) you can try a tubigrip - those elastic bandage things, but don't wear it to bed!

I'd recommend a good physio, they'll be able to give you a definitive diagnosis, there's a heap of other things it could be!! Try googling "runners knee" too...