Words of encouragement, advice

coltrane
coltrane Posts: 74
edited November 2008 in Road beginners
Been off the bike since May 31st and missed the whole summer due to a knee problem. My lateral muscle is much stronger than the medial side and as a result has been pulling and straining my patella tendon (so I'm told, I have begun to doubt all experts!!) After 4 months of physio, an appointment with a consultant who said structurally my knee is ok, and a further month with a chiropractor who has now suggested I see a bio-mechanical expert at the practice. I get pain when climbing stairs and can only manage about half an hour on the trainer. Utterley fed up and sick of it...

Comments

  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    i hear you mate!

    Been injured since february this year - no riding all summer and two bouts of knee surgery to deal with - left knee in July, right knee just last month. Lost loads of muscle in the left post-op as I couldn't train with a still-injured right one. This muscle loss is causeing the same sort of kneecap tracking issues as you talk of.

    I have stuck with the physio and introduced some weights too and have actually been out on my bike last weekend for the first time since... well - I can't remember!!

    I guess I am trying to say - stick with it mate - it will come good and you will be back on the bike in no time.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    I had something similar sounding when I first took up road biking years ago.......probably a case of too much too soon as I was told that your muscles get stronger quicker than your tendons and strength imbalances can cause havoc with knee tendons.

    Spent ages off the bike and had some keyhole surgery on my right knee. Not sure if that actually fixed anything, but it did keep me completely away from the bike for 3 months straight, after which I very gradually built the miles back up. Still have the odd niggle with my knees nearly 20 years on, but I am able to ride plenty before that happens.

    All the best.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • ror_b211
    ror_b211 Posts: 65
    I fell of my mountain bike about a year and a half ago and almost completely destroyed my knee by whacking it on a rock at ~25mph (with kneepads on!!). Oddly the problem was more with the ligaments, synvionic stuff and muscle tears rather than the bones themselves (i only had one small fracture).

    Although I was able to hobble around quite soon after the accident, I was only able to commute around until about 4-5 monthsish later, but a few months after that the aches and pains began to fade and I was out on the mountain bike again, with a silly amount of knee protection, and now it's like I never had it (albeit its a bit clicky).

    I'm not sure how similar this problem is to yours since I only had a couple of physio sessions- but maybe it'll get better in time is what i'm saying! :D
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    I had a similar experience - I went a whole year with people looking at my knee, giving me stretching excercises, rest , even an exploratory operation - which revealed nothing.

    By chance I got to see a bio mechanical expert at birmingham university (have details if you want them) he watched me walk - and within 5 minutes - confirmed the problem was with my feet not my knee. My foot wasn't hitting the ground flat - causing pressure on the knee joint. He made me a pair of rough orthotics that day - which improved the condition immediatley - then he made me a custom pair which were much more comfortable.

    no knee problems since.
  • coltrane
    coltrane Posts: 74
    Thanks for the words folks, Kingrollo i'd be really grateful for the name of the bio-mechanical people you saw I live not to far from Brum

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