Got un unusual knee problem

Bhima

For a few days, while my bike was getting fixed down the local bike shop, I borrowed a mate's road bike to train on. Problem is, it's a small frame and I need a large one, so the seatpost was right up high and looked ridiculous!

I only did about 40 miles on it but, because it was the wrong size, I started to get a pain in my right knee - at the front, that little bit inbetween the knee cap and my shin.

So I stopped riding that bike and took a day or two off.

Now that I have my normal bike back, I've been riding without any pain, although the knee is still recovering and is sore when i'm not riding.

Just to clarify, it does not hurt at all when riding, only when not riding. Should I stop riding for a bit and let it heal (I estimate it'll take 2 weeks :shock: :? - not good), or continue riding? I reeeeeally want to continue because, how I see it, i'm not aggrivating it while on my normal bike, which fits properly, because there's no pain at all...

Don't know what to do... :? Could I possibly injure myself more by riding, even though I can't feel it?

pbracing

Are you taking anti-inflamitary tablets? I would for up to a week. Carry on riding, but take it easy- lower gears, and no powering up hills. It doesn't sound too serious, but you've obviously niggled something so need to be mindful of it.

Bhima

No tablets - but I eat fish & fruit every day, which are very anti-inflammatory foods...

Yes, I've been careful about pushing big gears - I do power up hills - but my cadence is up in the 100s when I do.

Been trying to not get off the saddle too because of the extra pressure involved on the legs although I did it the other day by accident and it felt fine... Best to play it safe though.

pbracing

I'm not a fan of tablets myself, I don't practice what I preach, but they get the inflamation down quickly to prevent further damage. I recommend it. Fish is good for the overall health of joints etc, but won't help with even a small injury.
Be careful, even spinning quickly. For the sake of 1 or 2 weeks it isn't worth turning a niggle into a bigger injury. It's frustrating, I know.
Good luck.

itboffin

Bad bike set up =



Yes that hurt a lot but oddly not when I was on the bike.

Bhima

Wow! :shock:

I've not noticed any difference in terms of what it looks like - i'm glad it doesn't look that bad! :shock:

I know my normal bike is set up properly so, hopefully, it wont make the knee worse.

How was your bike set up wrong, out of interest? :shock:

itboffin

Bhima wrote:

Wow! :shock:

I've not noticed any difference in terms of what it looks like - i'm glad it doesn't look that bad! :shock:

I know my normal bike is set up properly so, hopefully, it wont make the knee worse.

How was your bike set up wrong, out of interest? :shock:

I'm not 100% sure but I think the seat post was too high, clipless pedals had no movement/float badly set up and pushing a gear far to big for the terrain.

Plus fairly new to cycling and straight into 200+ miles a week all very stupid.

Shezzer

Providing easy spinning doesn't aggravate it (on OR off the bike) then you're probably ok to carry on. Ditto the advice about not pushing a hard gear though!! If cycling causes pain off the bike then sorry buddy but you just need to find something else to do for a couple of weeks. Of course the alternative is to drag out the injury and maybe seriously bugger up your training ... as I did in 2007!!

If you take anti-inflammatories then make sure you take them regularly throughout the day as they need to build up in your system to work properly. Also, try not to take them on an empty stomach. Whenever the knee is aggravated you could try icing and elevating it instead. I'm not a big of taking painkillers tbh.

Given the difference in sizes maybe your friend's bike had a different crank length to yours making your knee work in a subtly different way ... multiplied by the '000 of revs in a 40 mile ride. Or maybe his bottom bracket was on the way out. Dunno could be anything.

Try Googling patella-femoral disorder.