Knee Pain

First ride on the bike in a week after my smash. Both knees got banged up so moving very gingerly, thank god for gears and a freewheel. Right knee is particularly bad, been x-rayed but inconclusive, back to the fracture clinic in two weeks if it still feels bad.

After a football related injury, I've just started going out on the bike. Still feel the knee twinging from time to time. Boy did I miss cycling

my knees are fucked. midway through physical therapy for a knee sprain in july i have two accidents. fork snapped sometime ago. followed by getting hit by a car a few days ago. taking as long a break as i need. just heal.

Time to finally post here, was lurking at this topic, but never wanted to admit (not even to myself) that my knee is injured. Basically two years ago, after being away for whole summer, I overused my knees playing tennis on hard court, training martial arts and commuting on fixed gear. I was feeling the pain in both of my knees and was quite ready to ignore it for more than a month under the excuse that my joints just need to get used to the sport activity again after being away for the summer.
Long story cut short, I got inflammation in both of my knees and I could barely walk. The first doctor I went to, gave me a wrong diagnosis and sent me for a one-month therapy (electricity, magnets, physio), which helped my left knee (a two month break and some regular stretching/ strengthening exercises). Unfortunately there was still some pain left in my right knee which I continued to ignore again and started my normal sport routine (bike commuting, martial arts, occasionally football). The pain would be stronger or weaker, would come and go away and usually warm summer days would make it better and easier to endure.
Last winter it got worse again and after I went to an acknowledged sport orthopaedist and had a MRI, I was given a diagnosis of having patellar tendonitis (AKA jumper’s knee). His advice was to continue stretching and to continue the usual sports routine as long as the pain is not significant. Right diagnosis, wrong advice, but it was mostly just what I wanted to hear. Last year I did some googling on the topic which brought a lot of new information, including the benefits of an eccentric exercise protocol, which I then discarded quite easily due to it lasting 3-6 months and suggesting to avoid any kind of sport activity for the same time (this part I was most offended by). I continued stretching and improving knee stability which did help some but not enough. Now with the cold weather returning and with some hard training behind me the pain is quite mind numbing so I will try to get rid of my patellar tendonitis once and for all. I am posting this to try to motivate myself to keep up with the daily eccentric exercise routine and also to be able to check up and update on my potential progress!
It would also be nice to hear if any of you managed to get rid of the same problem and how. If there is any interest, I will also post some info on my routine and used supplementation once I see some progress.

Sounds a lot like what I had in 2002, probably caused by a combination of cycling and walking a lot on a visit to Paris. The difference is that you seem like a bit of an athlete, and 'mind-numbing' pain sounds terrible. You also do a lot of high-impact stuff, which I didn't do (although that walking did for me, added to years of riding ill-fitting bikes).

I've come to some sort of accommodation with it through a combination of understanding related issues (basically a chronic hip problem that refers pain to the knee), better bike fitting, regular yoga and swimming (although I've slacked on the latter as of late). Your diagnosis also sounds like some of the earlier diagnoses I got, which never looked at the wider issues, e.g. how shoulder/back issues relate to it. I'd say it would be a good idea to have that looked at. In my experience, many medical professionals tend to be a bit too focused on the narrow area you present with. I actually got the right advice from a chiropractor (although I felt his actual treatment wasn't up to much).

As for your exercise profile, I don't really know. One would normally expect that it would be good advice to go easy on the high-impact stuff and do a lot of swimming, but you'd better see a sports physio about that. It worked for me and I think is generally recommended, but I'm no doctor. Good luck!

I have recently developed a bit of this in one knee, following an impact directly on my patella....seems this is quite unusual, but just my luck.
Having had a lot of issues with my knees through the years from football, I am pretty tuned in to when they are 'good' or not, but this isn't healing after three weeks, so I've had to resort to other measures. Seeing as I'm just a poor firefighter, I don't have the spare funds to splash on specialists (at this time), and have started to self medicate! I have started with kinesiology tape, applied via YouTube videos, with the aim of taking some of the pressure off the tendon, giving it a bit of space to heal....I must say, that after three days, the pain is lessening already, and I've been able to use the spin bike at work, without pain....it's a promising start!

More importantly, has it affected your pool/snooker/table tennis?

Thanks for your responses! Basically I am training different sports up to 3-4 times a week since I am 6 (turning 25 in March next year) and never had problems caused by injuries (except a broken collar bone while snowboarding).. The pain is mind-numbing as it is constantly present and really puts me in a sour mood, which in turn messes with my daily life, for example, writing my thesis at the moment is quite hard because sitting long causes even more pain). I was thinking of giving up cycling and starting swimming during the period of the exercise routine. I was swimming a lot this summer and didn't cycle and my knee definitely felt better (hoped even that the jumpers knee is gone). Tight quads and weak hamstrings caused my patellar tendonitis, although I did have some back problems in the past, which I managed to solve.

Two years back I was barely able to walk, I needed painkillers just to go to work.
I'm healed now, and I'm older and shittier. Tried everything, best advice I can give you is GEARED BIKE, spin a lot, STRETCH, foam roller and avoid anything that damages the knee. If something is painful just stop or it'll be worse.

I am stretching and using the foam roller every day now, usually straight after the eccentric squats, but sometimes in the morning as well. I haven't ridden fixed since the injury, changed my position a lot and ride much easier gears on my daily ride (39 front, 12-32 casette). Cyling doesn't cause any pain I think, but I would like to ride fixed some day again! What I learned through reading now that it is very important to understand the pain and when it occurs, so as suggested by the course I am writing down my daily pain scores during the day, before and after the excercises.

This guy fixed me: http://www.johngreenphysio.com/

I am not based in UK. Any good tips you can share?
I am aware that what works for some doesn't work for all, people seemed to be able to heal it with rest and certain type of exercise, stretching, foam rolling... Apparently even walking can be considered as too much strain on the tendon while it is healing, so I am considering to stop commuting on the bike daily (especially since it is cold and my commute is short and I hardly ever warm up before jumping on the bike).

I can't help much as I had a different problem to you and i'm not comfortable giving generic advice with no knowledge. My issue was a muscle imbalance/tightness rather than a specific injury.

i'm not comfortable giving generic advice with no knowledge.

#rep

Well, internet is internet obviously, but well ment advice is much appreciated, considering your problem is the same as mine (muscle imbalance/tightness).
I solved my back problem with internet knowledge, after 3 different orthopaedist gave me different advice on the same problem.

I was given stretches to do, intensely focused on the 'triple extension' or the back of the leg. Apparently often when "tight ITB" gets thrown about it's actually this triple extension that's tight.

The rest was dynamic lunges, and adapted leg press, squats, etc. Mainly for VMO strengthening with an emphasis on balance.

You'll ride fixed again, brakeless if that's your thing. Just be patient, the more you avoid further injury the quicker it will heal naturally.

I had knee trouble after a Rugby injury that got sorted with Physio and stretching and strengthening exercises.
This Book is great for self help and exercising tips;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Knee-Problems-Prevention-Self-help/dp/0719555388

A good bike fit is essential in my opinion followed by a good sports physio

My osteopath Jason Gunn is a cyclist as well and does bike fit sessions :
http://www.bexleycomplementaryhealth.com/

I'm having my first knee troubles, in the past month i haven't been able to ride more than 10 miles without my left knee being in agony
I saw my GP today, he says i have an inflamed knee cap, gave me some anti inflammatories and just said take it easy etc, rushed me off as they do, if it doesn't improve he can recommend a physio, he didn't say stop cycling which is a good start.

Anyway, i'm going to read back through when i got time, but just wondering what i can do in the short term to help, i'm already doing the obvious stuff like not riding a heavy gear, mostly using the road bike or SS for commuting, i'm more wondering about heat packs or using supports when i'm at work, or anything else i haven't thought of?

Rest ice compression elevation

The swelling is because it's antagonised

Let it rest and wait for the swelling to come down

I wonder what the ratio of left to right knee injuries is amongst cyclists.

I've actually felt compression made it worse when cycling, I haven't been able to rest enough which is probably making it worse

I wonder if the fact i almost always unclip with my left first, when ever i put a foot down or rolling slow, always the left, bad habit so i may try use the right more

@b&d shitbag! :0)

Charming...

:0)