Overuse/inexperience knee injury-advice please!

kbmack
kbmack Posts: 73
edited January 2012 in Road beginners
Hi all-I am new to road cycling this year and since I started in the summer I have been out and about very regularly. My training methods are largely old school and consists of getting on the bike and going for long rides and pushing hard. After about 2000 miles of this method since the summer I managed to do my knee a mischief on boxing day. A big zinging pain on the outside of the left knee with a peculiar 'shocking' sensation down the side put paid to a rather enjoyable, if cold, ride. I went to see the GP, who smiled and said something along the lines of giving the injury ten days-very helpful. Since then walking has been difficult, going up and down the stairs has been a trial and engaging the clutch in my clapped out car very painful. Anyhow, does anyone have an Idea what this might be, if they have suffered something similar before and, most importantly, any tips for treating the said pain in the saddle? I am booked to see a physio this Tuesday but any tips/ideas/advice would be most welcome.

Happy new year and thanks.

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,169
    see the physio and get proper assessment and advice, in the meantime, avoid putting any stress on it, i.e. rest, if there's any swelling you can try an anti-inflammatory, or an ice pack

    there are umpteem possible causes, from bike-related such as incorrect set-up (saddle height/position and/or cleat position/float), to going too hard before warming up, or going too hard for current knee strength, or simply bad luck, etc. etc.

    you can read more online, for instance...

    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/bicy ... injury.htm
    http://www.kneeclinic.info/knee_sports_ ... ycling.php
    http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

    ...but this is *not* a complete list of knee problems or solutions, it's just some general info

    get the professional advice first, and then you can plan proper recovery, you've only got one pair of knees and they're complicated!

    once you know what's up and are on the road to recovery, might be worth getting a professional bike fit to make sure everything is set up ok, including saddle, shoes, footbeds and cleats
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • kbmack
    kbmack Posts: 73
    Hi-many thanks for this. Lots of helpful info and advice, it's much appreciated.
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    Bad luck kbmack - I am a physio and +1 to wait to see what the Physio says once you've been properly assessed. Outside of the knee, sudden pain ... could be lateral ligament, iliotibial band, quadraceps expansion,lateral menisicus to name but a few. If you're physio gives you a clear diagnosis on what tissue/structure is affected (and how) post on here and might be able to give a few tips - without knowing what's affected though you should rest, ice and anti-inflams (as sungod says).
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    i had similar things - tightness around the knee - pain down the leg. Then it locked completeley while swimming. and MRI showed cartlidge loss and mild severe arthritis....BUT - Working with a physio - he got me stretching my IT band - I do stretches 3 times daily - and they are boring ! - BUT my knee is pretty good now...and still improving...I still have problems getting down stairs , and walking down slopes. but I have done some gentle rides - and would do more but have other pain things which keep me off the bike.
    Let us know how you get on

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