Knee Pain

Yes, yoga has helped a lot, but you need to practice an alignment focused yoga, iyengar would be the ideal type, or anusara. Iyengar yoga is very strict methodical and careful, but is very worthwhile.

The osteo arthritis has been aggravated by quads that were over developed in certain areas, there are now grooves carved in my patellas as they have been pulled across the knee joint. Post op Physio gave me exercises which all agree with my yoga instructors advice. The Physio even said I could skip the exercises if I carried on with regular yoga and incorporated her suggestions in my yoga practice.

Ive been given some exercises to build up muscles on the other side of the knee and some stretches that hurt quite a bit.

That's what I have and it's very slow going but the stretches definitely seem to reduce recovery time after a big ride.

Cyclocross - all that running off-camber, balancing, weight shift feels like it greases and loosens up my bad knee habits. Maybe quite logical.

I'm just bumping this thread to vent my first world (knee) problems. Please indulge me.

I only really started doing longer distances on the bike in early 2013 and worked my way up to Dunwich by July. Towards the end of that the outside of my left knee was sore but I didn't really pay much attention. It subsided in under a week.

About 4 weeks later I did a short tri and at the end of the 20k bike I got the same soreness which disappeared as soon as I began the run. Once I got on my bike afterwards to go home it hurt like hell and I almost failed to cycle the 10 miles or so home.

I then rested it, went on holiday for two weeks then went to see a physio who diagnosed a tight ITB and weak glutes. I said I was doing a 200k audax that weekend and did it, with much pain.

Since then I've been building up glutes and hammering my ITB with foam rolling with mixed results. My glutes have definitely got stronger and I can do the exercises with more stability but by ITB gives me gip pretty much constantly. I've hardly run or cycled since and it twinges all the time. Turns out I was doing a lot of the exercises with unactivated glutes so they were actually compounding things.

I had a bike fit in early Dec, which I really rate and recommend, but I've had very little chance to ride on it.

It's a very slow recovery and it's getting to me. Not pain, just constant tangible tightness which I know will become pain as soon as I do any serious distance.

Still, first world problems and all that. Thanks for reading if you got this far.

does the pain start in your hamstring and then to develop to the left side of the knee?

I had ITB issues for a good part of this year. After messing around with fit, foam rolling and stretching I went to see a good physic (Bluerip00 off of here) who's fixed me up very quickly. My issue was muscle imbalance in my right (the problem side) leg which meant that when fatigued my knee would track inwards on the down stroke. This caused the pain on the outside of my knee. Single leg weighted squats to build up my quads and glutes had me fixed in a few weeks.

I can't reccommend Bluerip00 enough.

Doppelkorn sounds almost the same as mine. So long as I stretch and carry on doing so. Going to the gym and doing light weight lifts moving legs out and in help.

I figure I'll always have the pain it's just a bastard to deal with.

does the pain start in your hamstring and then to develop to the left side of the knee?

Not really. It started as pain on the outside and outside back of my left knee only. Now I get tightness (not really pain) along the length of my ITB from time-to-time as well.

I had ITB issues for a good part of this year. After messing around with fit, foam rolling and stretching I went to see a good physic (Bluerip00 off of here) who's fixed me up very quickly. My issue was muscle imbalance in my right (the problem side) leg which meant that when fatigued my knee would track inwards on the down stroke. This caused the pain on the outside of my knee. Single leg weighted squats to build up my quads and glutes had me fixed in a few weeks.

I can't reccommend Bluerip00 enough.

Thanks. I'm seeing a good physio who I'm sure has diagnosed me correctly. My exercises involve glute activations, step-ups with weights, pendular swings (kinda like this but I hold the weights into my shoulders) and single leg squats. Until now, as I say, I've not been engaging my glutes in some of these which is putting more strain on other parts of my thigh.

Doppelkorn sounds almost the same as mine. So long as I stretch and carry on doing so. Going to the gym and doing light weight lifts moving legs out and in help.

I figure I'll always have the pain it's just a bastard to deal with.

I'm starting to come to the realisation it might be something I have to just manage and live with. It's annoying that it's probably got *worse *over the past 3 weeks, despite the fact I've done very little. Perhaps *because *I've done very little? I deliberately did a 10 day rest period over Xmas which had basically no effect. This morning it twinged walking to the bus stop.

I'm fucking 28. I'm too young for this shit!!!!!!

Thanks for your replies, sincerely. I just need to vent and it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one.

My knee clicks at the back of the knee, feels like a string being strained right in the hinge (these are deffo the technical terms). It doesn't really hurt, just clicks with every revolution. I have had a month off riding to see if it goes away, just wondering if anyone else has had this kind of thing and what they did to get rid of it? Thanks

Well, this went mostly away and very quickly became patellar tendonitis. I haven't ridden a bike for over 3 months now, anyone got any protips? GP was a bit vague. Only got referred to physio today so I imagine it will be a few weeks, so if there are any common exercises I can do to relieve it now, that would be ideal, thanks

Got a foam roller? Getting more flexible should help. Stretch and roll!

Yeah got one and do use it from time to time, mostly use it on the spine and the backs of my legs though. Will start smashing the sides in too now, thanks. Already doing some leg stretches - hammies, quads and achilles all get done daily. Would wearing running shoes for general walking help?

It may be have been a placebo effect but I used a glucosamine supplement in conjunction with stretching/strength exercises and my knees only click half as much as they used too.
This was over a period of a year or so.

^ I would imagine so, there's no evidence that glucomasine will have any more effect than a sugar pill...

Stretching and strengthening most likely has helped though. Keep it up.

I had a Pro Bike Fit and with the addition of some foam roller stuff my knee is starting to get better.

Does anyone have experience with riding fixed after getting their posterior cruciate ligament operated upon?

Got a doctors appointment on monday. Last time I had one they said that if my knees got any worse I would have to get them operated upon and they got worse. Not fixed related btw.

cross posting from running thread:

Got a sore outer calf - that long muscle that goes on the outside of the lower leg and feels stiffer than the calf muscle if I tense my lower leg (yes, that's doctor speak) - but it doesn't hurt too much. It's fine to run on, but I'm aware of it when I don't. Is this a niggle I should nip in the bud? Time for some foam rolling? Physio? Or just let it be as it might be the increased running I did over christmas and new years?

Edit: just got in from another long walk, sore ankle too now, or just above the ankle, on the same outside. No running to work for me this week.

wrap up them knees! I always overdress my knees, easiest way to keep them happy

This is not necessarily good advice - putting tight clothing around your knee can exacerbate problems, especially muscular ones.

I've been getting agonising knee pain on my road bike on anything over 60km. After going to Nic at VeloPhysio, we worked out that my left quads were so tight that my knee was being pulled outwards a little at the top of my pedal-stroke, misaligning my leg in action.

It's a minor thing, but the float allowed by Speedplays along with the number of rotations on longer rides have lead to pain. Exercises, stretches and more foam roller work (my fave) and after a week it is already noticeably better!

I can't big up Nic enough, she has done wonders for my lower back pain, given me a concise and helpful diagnosis' where other physios had dithered, and now has fixed my knee right up. She's absolutely top, I can see why Scherrit recommends her!

^Went and saw her as well. Really nice and her exercises worked a treat on me.

Does anyone have experience with riding fixed after getting their posterior cruciate ligament operated upon?

Got a doctors appointment on monday. Last time I had one they said that if my knees got any worse I would have to get them operated upon and they got worse. Not fixed related btw.

I had my MCL and PCL mended in two separate ops. Riding fixed is fine - in fact, it's better rehab than my geared bike, as it's harder for me to overcompensate with the good leg riding fixed (my good leg kept cramping until I figured out what was going on). But take it easy, don't rush the rehab. And ride with a rear as well as a front brake. Whip skids are not knee friendly.

I had my MCL and PCL mended in two separate ops. Riding fixed is fine - in fact, it's better rehab than my geared bike, as it's harder for me to overcompensate with the good leg riding fixed (my good leg kept cramping until I figured out what was going on). But take it easy, don't rush the rehab. And ride with a rear as well as a front brake. Whip skids are not knee friendly.

Well the problem is I don't have a good knee XD.

My problem came from several moped accidents. I was doing deliveries back in 2006. I still haven't recovered. I started riding fixed because the physiotherapist advised on riding on a spinning bicycle in the gym. I found that pretty boring and then saw this guy on TV riding a fixie. Best training I've ever had and actually enjoy it. I was never into cycling. Still not a real cycling fan or anything. I don't like watching the tour or the giro, I rather go outside to ride. If I get the chance I like watching track racing but couldn't care less who wins. But enough about that.

I got an appointment with a doctor tomorrow morning. I sat crossed legs for a few minutes about two weeks ago and can now sort of walk again. It hurts like hell. Driving my car hurts, walking hurts, especially up and down stairs. Crouching is almost impossible. The swelling on the inside went away and the pain is sometimes gone but then I make a normal move (turning, mostly) and I'm in a lot of pain again.

I really want to put some more miles on Strava but I'm afraid that I might cause more damage to my knees. Just heard my front wheel can be picked up from my LBS. Hope to be able to ride again. Gaining so much weight right now :(

Sounds like they need fixing. Fingers crossed it all goes well for you. But yeah, riding is good for them long term, as far as I'm aware.

I've been having knee problems with my saddle being too low, I couldn't get my seatpost out and now have been battling cutting/soaking the dang thing out for the last few days.

Just poured caustic soda all over my hands and got it in my eye to cut a long story short. I think now my knee pain is the least of my worries.

My knee pain continues. I think it's just a case of i'll have to live with it and just get on with it. Stretching helps but nothing removes the pain.

I had some major pains in my right knee from a long ride with saddle too low this last summer. I had to put away the bike for 3-4 months for it to fully recover. Did some simple knee exercises, used lots of anti-inflammatory gels (prob just Placebo) and got rid of all my SPD pedals and replaced them with Speedplay and Time Atac for maximum float. Haven't had any problems since.