Help - Recurring injury!

markevosound

Just wondering if anyone has had experience of knee injuries?

I've been riding a road bike relatively seriously ( 2-5 rides a week) since Dec 2011 and can't seem to shake a pain in my left knee. I've checked out bike fit videos and made several adjustments to saddle/cleats/stem. In the summer I changed from SPD's to Look Delta with adjustasble float and the pain went away for a month or so but now it's back and seems to be more regular with tight muscles/tendons around the knee after a ride.

Thinking about a Specialised bike fit but £120 is a lot of bucks especially as I'm pretty happy with my postion.

Any advice greatly appreciated as it really hurts!

philclubman

I think I've just managed to get my knee pain sorted. Touch wood.

I can definitely recommend Specialized footbeds - I'm using the green ones which have a very high arch support which feel great for me. They stop my arch falling and therefore my knee rolling in. The footbeds also come with shims to help with getting your knee to track vertically. My knees were 'kicking in' towards the top-tube during the pedal stroke, but these have eliminated that completely.

The other thing that I have had to do is drop my saddle height by about 5mm. This doesn't feel natural yet, but I'm sure that I was dropping my right hip and over extending my left knee. I'm still getting used to this, but think it is better.

I was getting to the point where I was thinking about seeing a physio or booking with The Bike Whisperer for a bike fit. If you have the money, I think that a GOOD bike fit is probably the answer, but in the meantime, maybe try a few things for yourself and see how you get on.

Have a good read of these links:
http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/11/knee-pain
http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/02/foot-correction-part-1-arch-support/

Calpol

Impossible to diagnose so best to see a physio and maybe one that specialises in sports injuries. You might want to have a look at this also

http://bikedynamics.co.uk/kneepain.htm

ETreeson

Calpol wrote:

Impossible to diagnose so best to see a physio and maybe one that specialises in sports injuries. You might want to have a look at this also

http://bikedynamics.co.uk/kneepain.htm

+1 for seeing a Physio. It might well be your body rather than your bike postioning. I'm seeing a physio now and the stretching routine they've given me has all but eliminated the knee issues I was having. See a physio first, then shell out the £100s later if they don't work.

The Dude Abides

Another +1 for seeing a physio

Ive been involved with one form of sport or another pretty much my whole life, some at quite a competitive level. Along with this comes the inevitable injury.

I have always seen physio's and I reckon they are great, well worth the $.

laurentian

Physio is a good idea - after many visits following knee pain when running/playing rugby I was referred to a podiatrist who made specific orthotics for my feet (rather than an off-the-shelf standard) - not had a problem since and each set only cost £30!

philclubman

I'd still suggest making a few minor tweeks to your position before going to a physio. A physio could cost you a fair amount of money and not address the problem at all.

Physio was going to be my next port of if a GOOD bike fitter couldn't help, but I think you can get good results with your bike fit by trying the Spesh BG foot beds and adjusting saddle height first.

If it doesn't work, then go and see a professional (bike fitter or physio).

Just my 2p.

Grill

Good Bike Fitter > Physio who is a cyclist > internet > random guy on the street > Physio who doesn't cycle

Mikey23

Suitably qualified health professional ,..

markevosound

Very impressed with the amount of honest, useful and slightly humorous replies - thanks to the Bike Radar massive!

Have spent several hours looking at articles attached to replies - Steve Hogg definately seems to know a thing or 2 but also makes me think of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"(There's a link there somewhere!). This leads me to think that a good bike fitter (who was also a Physio!) really would be a good place for me to start as my problem only occurs when I'm riding.

I would like to have a go at sorting out the problem myself but there does seem to be a huge amount of variables. My hunch is that a mild lower left back problem is causing hip misalignment and therefore causing my left knee to track out of line and my ITB is tight and my cleat position is wrong and my hips are very narrow and I'm CONFUSED..... and the kids are screaming! - Anyone know a good bike fitter/physio in Cornwall?

Cheers people.

lef

I had a retul fit recently and have been very happy with the improvements. I have had several fits and most were good but the recent retul one was ahead of them all though all depends on who is doing the fitting i guess. It is extremely common for riders to have the saddle too high. I would consider lowering it if there is any possibility of you over extending. Its worth noting that a correct saddle height can feel really low if you have been riding a too high saddle height for some time. My first ever fit raised my saddle to a ridiculous height (didn't realise at the time and I mean ridiculous regardless of flexibility) and it very soon resulted in chronic injury which took several months to go even though I quickly had it corrected by someone else. To this day I am susceptible to it coming back (twinges only luckily). I think I'm about 40mm lower than that initial fitting and several subsequent fittings have always placed me around the height I am currently at. Position of the knee pain could help pinpoint the cause too. Theres a webpage somewhere (couldnt find it) stating cycling causes of pain in certain parts of the knee.

priory

try riding with plain pedals for a while.
poundstretcher had some for a fiver recently. since getting injured I have rediscovered them , having been totally addicted to spd's. Actually plain pedals are quite comfy and adequate . If your problem resolves with these then you will have a clue.

Mikey23

@OP

Which part of Cornwall? I am in the east and know of at least one person who may be able to help.

markevosound

I'm up near Padstow but don't mind travelling to see someone good.