Injured Knees - help please!

Anonymous

I have managed long rides in the past (180 miles in 14h, including an hours sleep + extra drink stops etc) and quite happy on my commute and buzzing around RP, but this weekend I shafted my knees into a whole new world of excruciating pain.

I did 120 miles, (midnight to 8am) but when I got to my destination my knees were pretty damn sore. Right and left really. Went for a nap, woke up and right knee wouldn't work. Literally so painful I had to hobble to the loo. Went back to bed, woke up again and still painful, but slowly loosened up.

Got back on the bike (to cycle home) at 11am and my right knee loosened up completely and was absolutely fine, but my left knee just became intolerable. I have a fairly high pain threshold (I like to think) but this was just too much really. I managed about 35 miles then we both called it a day, cycled to the train station and trained home. I literally was unable to walk all afternoon, I couldnt really bend my knees, but eventually walked it off, and by Sunday I was pretty much fine (just some soreness in the muscles as expected) and managed a fairy solid commute today.

My friend says he hurt his knees like this and they have never fully recovered - I'm not really sure what to expect as I have a long tour (600K in a weekend) in a fortnight, and need to make sure they recover.

Any ideas on what to do to help them recover? I have returned my cleats to the right place (as I just realised that is the foot I unclip each set of lights on my bike, so it clearly twisted the cleat). I have been recommended a bike fit, but I think my bike fit is ok, as the other 180 miles above was fine.
Just dont want this pain to happen when doing this tour and want a swift recovery!

ut_och_cykla

Cleat fix might be enough - but it also sounds like a bit of overuse. Cartilage probs wouldnt 'loosen up', and I think ligament damage would also not just 'walk off' which leaves muscle /tendon issues- too much too suddenly combined with wrongly positioned cleats would be my guess. (Note - I am not a medic of any sort!!)
Rest and gentle exercise that doesn't induce pain? Some extra protien to speed repair?
Get bike position checked out ? But personally I wouldnt make any serious changes before your big ride unless there is something obviosuly very wrong - like sitting far too low, or cleats misaligned. How hard are your pedals tensioned - try slacking them off a bit if you can. If you can't stay clipped in when riding normally - the cleats are wrongly positioned.
Hope you get it sorted!

Keith1983

I'd get the once over form your GP. baring in miond most doctors are rtubbish when it comes to sporting injuries! At least hopefully they can confirm that there is nothing seriously wrong and that you aren't going to do yourself any long term damage. It sounds to me like a a bit of tendinitis although I could be wrong!

Anonymous

Yeah it seems there are so many 'maybes'.

Would be good to hear its just overuse, just need to make sure that it fully recovers. Had a fairly hard commute in (nothing mental, just took a few scalps, making sure I punished anyone who was standing up - hehe) and no niggles.

I was expecting it to be ligament damage, as it is sore down the sides of my knees. I dont think the bike needs big changes, as it was fine for the last ride as I said. I am just wondering if there are any good exercises I can keep up doing while I wait for the long tour to come around.

My feet certainly don't unclip when pedalling, the alignment USED to be fine, now its obviously just a little bit out. Hopefully now that is sorted. I might actually loosen them so when I DO clip out, it doesn't twist the cleat on my shoe too.