Knee pain revisited.

danhx

Sorry to bring this topic up again, but after reading through most of the topics I could find on the subject I'm not sure which apply to me.

I've just got into biking (done 6 rides of around 10miles offroad), but afterwards have been having acheing knees. It feels as though the pain is in the top of my knee, and it hurts going up/down stairs for a day afterwards quite badly (normally I can bound up and down stairs all day long). Yesterday I did around 8miles including a 2mile constant climb and some shorter bursts, at the end of it I felt good and felt like doing it again, but decided I'd go out today for a longer one instead. But around an hour after getting off the bike the ache started again. I also had aches last week after doing 2 rides of around 8 and 10miles. A few sites have sugested keeping an appropriate gear (not to high) so I was quite concious to keep a few gears lower than I could have been in yesterday, however it hasnt helped.

I'm 24, but until last September had not done any real excercise for 6 years, but was never overweight (5ft8 and 9.5st, now closer to 10.5st). Since September I've been doing an hour a day 5+ times a week (edit: cross training/situps/pushups and such, not cycling) so am feeling pretty good appart from this knee problem. I've never been into skate boarding, contact sports or any of that, so my knees should be ok.

So:
Is this simply a "to much to soon" problem, and I'm using parts of my knee that havnt really had to cope with much stress in every day life, and that I should start doing shoter distances more often to build up the muscles?

Am I doing something wrong technique wise? (I've checked seat hight etc. and as I say, everything feels fine while I'm on the bike)

Should I get checked out by the doctor the day after a ride when I still suffer from the aches?

(I really hope its just the first, as I'm really looking forward to putting some miles in!)

ride_whenever

Are you spinning or mashing the pedals? You should try reducing your intensity/amount and go see a sports physio. should have you sorted in no time.

z000m

i have had knee problems before and i would say its to do with ur riding position

Pippen33

Make sure your seat is not too low

Pippen33

oh yeah, you've already checked your seat height

Speers

Sounds like runners knee to me. you could look it on some doctor site or ask your doctor about it. The typical therapy is rest until there is no pain. It sucks but it could mean no riding for a couple weeks.

lunaeventer

Could be too much too soon or there may be a muscle imbalance that needs to be addressed - ask GP to refer you for physiotherapy.

If it is an imbalance, rest will not make any difference & physio can check you out, assess your knee & give you appropriate advice.

danhx

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies! I'll take it on board. Think my next step will be to rest and then build up slowly by doing some flatter rides (hard in yorkshire... but I'm sure theres a canal toepath near me) rather than heading straight to the moors like I have been doing.

If it gives me bother again its off to the Doc's office.

rock_hopper

Hi Dan,

Do you ride with clipped pedals? If so the cleats could be set up wrong. Also as other people have mentioned it may be saddle height. When sat on bike heel on pedal at 6 o'clock there should be a very slight bend in the knee, also check you seat fore-aft position, a good starting point is that your knee should sit directly over the pedal axle when in the 3 o'clock position. Try a google search on bike position.

Again as someone has suggested it may be a muscle imbalance, do you do any stretches? Tight hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and IT bands can pull the knee out of alignment and cause pain. It doesnt sound like a case of overuse with the rides you said you are doing. Typically overuse injuries are inflamed tendons in the knee and are sorted with rest and ice. Again google search stretches for these muscles and see how far you can stretch them, you will know if they are tight. I have suffered with just about all of these problems from my knees and it can be a minefield.

I would strongly recommend going to a sports injury clinic and getting your muscles and bike fit assessed. I know it can be costly but a few sessions will highlight your problems and after that it is a case of managing them yourself. If you want to build up and ride regularly pain free it is money well spent. Hope this helps.

Dilker

danhx wrote:

Should I get checked out by the doctor the day after a ride when I still suffer from the aches?

In my opinion i would say there is little point seeing the GP. Most will say rest, take it easy... Very few will refer you to a NHS physio. Go and see a private physio... I am studying/working with a podiatrist primarily looking in to biomechanics... it could be something like a Leg Length Discrepancy(LLD), or torsion in your tibia causing extra rotation on knee flexion(thus stretching the patella tendon.. and effecting the efficiency of the quads.)

LLD is easy enough to measure... with a friend. Lie on your back, get your friend to take hold of your feet about the ankles... relax your legs. The friend needs to observe the Medial Ankle bone(it's the thing that sticks out). See if there is a diffrence in the high points

Even = > <

LLD = >
< this means your left leg is longer - 1-6mm diff is not uncommom

Also try reading something like this. Might help.

Treating Riding Injuries

z000m

could try doing some light road work and see if the same thing happens

Dr_Death

No offence dilker but that really isn't the way to measure LLD be it true or apparent LLD.

z000m

could try a calcium supplement