Out of the blue knee pain....

bristolpete

Hi all,

After recovering from a nasty smash, I got out today and did 65 miles. Did my stretching pre ride. All was good two hours in when my left knee started to feel like someone had sniped if from afar or there was a knife going in. It got worse on the way home and by the time I was back at my car it was pretty hard to push and pull with the left peg. I had already cancelled my club ride as I knew the pace would be too much, but this is odd as I was on my own going a lot slower.

By coincidence I had an appointment at my LBS who reckon is is a 'cold weather' injury as I was out at half seven but I am worried it could be RSI type thing. I now have it in a tubed grip with deep heat on it, but it feels odd. The pain went up into my left thigh front and into the rear. I can recall a band on the knee that use to effect loads of runners so am wondering of it may be that.

Any advice on how to sort it and rest it or what it may be if it is something cyclists face...

In all my years on bikes, never had this, but have been getting the miles in and had 10 days off after being hit by a car.....

Thanks in advance,

Pete.

PS - bought some knee warmers today!

sods_law

I would see a physio. Maybe you banged something in your smash? If it bothered you that much, worth the £30 just to make sure all is OK!

a_n_t

IT band. I had the same thing, real stabbing pain where the band crosses the knee at the front and attaches to the top of the shin. Started doing streches for it and also exercises to strenghten the glutes and within a month it was pretty much gone.

bristolpete

a_n_t wrote:

IT band. I had the same thing, real stabbing pain where the band crosses the knee at the front and attaches to the top of the shin. Started doing streches for it and also exercises to strenghten the glutes and within a month it was pretty much gone.

Cool - to fast track this, what exercise is good for the band....

a_n_t

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/itband.html


seemed to get the best stretch with that one.

bristolpete

a_n_t wrote:

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/itband.html


seemed to get the best stretch with that one.

Thanks - stretched out a few times and rode today with no pain. Funny thing isnt it, but it seemed that the pain in the knee was caused by the glute muscle being cold etc. One to watch however....

mikeq

The glutes med and min are responsible (along with Tensor Fascia Latae, small muscle at the top of the illiotibial (IT) band) for rotating the leg inwards.

So it may be possible if the muscle is cold and contracting that it was rotating the leg inwards while cycling causing the issue. But after 2 hours I would have thought the muscles would be more than warmed up properly.

The more common condition would be the overuse injury as was mentioned and common in runners, this is where the IT band rubs on the bony protrusion at the outside of the knee. Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome.

The IT band does not run over the front of the knee, it runs from the pelvis down the outer side of the leg and attaches below the knee on the outside of the leg.

The tendon running over the knee is the patellar tendon, the 4 quad muscles connect to the tibia just below the knee with this tendon and the kneecap is contained within the tendon. Again this can cause problems with overuse through inflammation under the knee cap.