Knee Pain

For the last 4 days I've woken up with a stiff knee. Started as a tightness on the outer upper right knee. Only painful to walk or bend.
Managed to gently walk/stretch it back to almost normal first day.
Now it's moved to the outside of the knee and I can barely move it without pain.
Strangely it doesn't hurt at all when cycling. I've been a lot less active than normal and can't think what else has changed.
Apologies for the word salad. Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Cheers @DrDave - managed to get a video conference call with a doc who said exactly the same as you. Been prescribed a week's worth of Naproxen and a telephone call with a knee specialist post course to see whether I need an MRI. Going to be taking it easy for a fortnight, god help my fitness levels after all of this!

I've never had an issue with knee pain coming from my cleats, haven't moved them in 7 years! I'll definitely be having a review once I pick new shoes up though.

I've started developing lateral knee pain in my right knee. I suspect it's down to a combination of poor cleat setup and doing fixed laps around SE London with some big hills.

The pain isn't severe but it's definitely noticeable. Do I need to stop riding completely before thinking about doing any rehab exercises? Is there a minimum time lay off for a mild niggle?

When I was just starting to ride again after my surgery (not knee surgery) last year I would get quite bad pain in one of my knees after a few rides, and had to rest for a few days. When it had more or less settled I would do another couple of rides and then rest again when it flared up. This went on for a couple of months but the pain has now gone completely and I’m back to doing long, fast rides. I never did any physio or any really long rests, just waited for a couple of days each time until I could ride comfortably.

What I’m trying to say is that the key thing is listening to your body, just like with sleep, eating etc. If it’s too painful to ride, don’t. When it feels ok, try a ride and see what happens. It’s extremely unlikely that you will do any serious lasting damage, but if the pain is getting worse then your knee is trying to tell you something! Maybe take a few days off to start with and see how it feels. As far as I can tell most cycling related knee pain will get better with at most a bit of physio and possibly a bike fit.

The other thing to say is, if the pain is bad enough that you need to take painkillers, you shouldn’t be riding. As always, regular icing for a few days really helps too.

Not very specific advice, but as I mentioned a few weeks ago on the previous page, there isn’t much to say about managing joint pain - almost always just needs rest, ice, physio.

Informative, thanks.

I reset my cleats and got 25 pain free miles this morning on the road bike. Definitely a slight niggle but nothing that felt like it was getting worse. Think I'll lay of riding fixed until it feels back to normal then I'll try again with the new cleat set up. I'm properly lazy when it comes to stretching/conditioning so it's a good reminder that I'm a MAMIL now and need to do more.

Haha good to hear, I also need to stretch more

Hi knee pain people.

For the last six weeks, very occasionally I have been getting a twinge on my right knee. I've just ignored it because I've never experienced anything like that before. Haven't changed the setup on my bike recently... if ever really. It hasn't caused any issues other than yeah, an occasional twinge of pain, usually when getting out of the saddle. I'm used to a lot of miles (300-400km a week) and have never experienced any overuse injuries before, so yeah, I ignored it.

Last week I did a couple of big rides with some smaller ones in between. No pain during any of these that I can remember. The second Big Day was really fucking hot.

A couple of days later I'm experiencing knee pain - where I previously got the very occasional twinge. It hurts when getting up from being sat, almost like it might burst? I can't feel it while walking or otherwise moving about.

Yesterday I fling my leg over my bike for the first time since last Thursday to see if it hurt while riding - oh boy. Couldn't pedal with the affected leg. Every rotation gave the above mild feeling of bursting. There is no swelling that I can tell. The affected area - right knee, inside, slightly above kneecap - isn't hot to touch. I've been foam rolling various parts of my leg, and also stretching, as well as icing the knee a few times a day. There's not been any improvement really since it started hurting on Friday evening.

What the hell have I done? I've not changed anything on my bike. I've not suddenly vastly increased how much riding I do (though granted, a 300km followed by a 200km might be pushing it, but I've done more than that before without problems). Am I just getting fucking old?

It could be

Arthritis
Tendon/ligament damage or inflammation
Bone cancer
Pushing a big gear
Torn meniscus
Over use
Bursitis
All in your mind
Knee instability

I wouldn’t trust an internet diagnosis, knees are really complicated

Rest, ice, elevate, compress - do all of these, regularly

Wait for pain to subside, if it hasn’t after a week visit a physiotherapist

Bloody knees, eh?

Cheers.

Sorry to hear that.

Did you really reduce your riding during lockdown so that perhaps you overdid it getting back into it?

As I've posted in various places, I looked for a solution to my knee problems for years until I was finally diagnosed with a hip problem that transferred pressure into my knee as I tried to compensate/avoid the pain. As James says, get diagnosed properly, but keep in mind that the diagnosis may not be right immediately and that the knee pain may be the indirect result of another problem elsewhere. Good luck.

Possibly. I normally do at least one 200km ride a month, but didn't for nearly 3 months (I still did a lot of riding, just nothing very long). Did one at the end of May and have been doing them regularly every since. I sort of refuse to believe it's the sudden introduction of long rides because I've always been fine when I've dropped a silly 600km audax or whatever into the mix, but I guess I should remember that's the longest I've not done a ride like that in nearly three years.

Today my calf feels very tender as well. Stupid body.

Yes, perhaps make it all a little more gradual, but do have it looked into. Too many reports of people not going to see the doctor because of COVID-19 when they have problems that need treatment. With all the usual precautions (cover knees, start rides slowly, check bike set-up, etc.) you may well be fine, but with cycling issues like that can just very subtly creep up on you over the course of years while you're feeling absolutely fine.

I’ve never had knee pain from cycling before, but after riding fixed to Canary Wharf on Saturday and to Clerkenwell very early this morning, both knees are hot and very sore. I’ve iced and resting both. I've not ridden much in recent weeks and now the pain is pretty constant, just hope it’s nothing serious, but rather the usual aches and pains.

Maybe it’s the thought of fitting the parquet flooring and being on my knees for a few days has scared them

hello has anyone here had knee surgery and done full recovery.
I tore my meniscus and had ligament damage. Im currently doing physio that is aimed at strength and supporting the knee so lots of quad, glutes , hip and core work.
im very worried that my dream of long days cycling may be cut a little short. if anyone has had similar how long did it take to get back on the bike. atm ive been strictly limited to 15mins stationary sit down type gym bike.

Have had three meniscectomies. Just do the rehab afterwards and long term you’ll barely remember it was done.

Cycling is actually good rehab as it’s quite controlled. My knees are shot, the cartilage that remains is like a soggy sponge and I have osteoarthritis but it hasn’t been to bad on my cycling. Though I tend to spin around 100-105 rpm to avoid grinding a high gear as that causes my knees to grumble.

Did you go private for these or get them done on the NHS? My knee is a bit of a mess, and has flared up recently.. I went down the NHS route the first time and seem to get lost off a list of low priority hobblers - I had an MRI which seemed generally inconclusive but then never got referred onto a specialist, and it seemed to get better anyway, so I lost interest in chasing it up...until now that is.

Two on nhs and one on health insurance.

Knowing what to say is useful. I was full time cycling instructor and my knee locking out would stop me working also the knee would give way. These seem to help me get priority

Thanks - will get pestering. Not the best time to be trying to get this fixed though I fear

cheers DJ did you get a bike fit after your ops ? thinking that will help esp wearing clip-less to get the position right.
Im plugging away with rehab. good too hear its not the end of my cycling dreams. ta mate

I have had bike fits but not specific to the knee ops, just to deal with how my body has changed over time.

Find a good sports rehab physio. If you already know the difference between good and bad pain when exercising they will be able to give guidance and appreciate you are coming from an active background.

Physios like me because I do the rehab work (I will often do more than prescribed but am also careful not to over do it) and already have rollers, wobble cushions etc for remedial work at home.

yeah its the the 1st time ive had to done any rehab getting the motivation to do the workout is hard somedays but the physio i have via the hk healthcare nhs equivalent is great and only £5.50 per session she is amazing. having too DIY some equipment atm though..home made ankle weights with sand and sox, not pretty but they work :)

Any recommendations for cycling specific physio dealing with Patellar tendonitis and other knee pains? Plus back problems too.

Knee pain on turbo trainer; why would that just start? Never had it before, never have it on outdoor rides, but the last couple of days I've got it after riding long/intense on turbo

Is the floor perfectly levelled?