Clicking knee and a sportive next Sunday........

daniel_b · August 2009

Hello all,

Went out on a 43 mile ride yesterday, and after coming back, noticed a clicking noise when walking down the stairs, assumed it was loose change or something in my pocket, but later in the day realised it was actually my left knee, making a very audible 'click/pop' noise when it goes from straight to mid bend.

The weird thing is that it isn't painful, well at the moment anyway.
I cycled in today, and it was ok, I didn't really test it though, as it's only a short flat route.

I am now trying to figure out what caused it, I have been ramping up the running over the last few weeks, and on Saturday ran three 8 minute sessions, with 2 minutes walking inbetween each, so am wondering if that might have caused it.
However in hindsight, yesterday on the 42 mile ride, I tried a new hill climbing technique that I had seen mentioned, that was to sit furthe rback on the saddle, and this helps put the power down.
It certainly did, but I am now wondering if I over extended as well........

But anyway, I have a sportive next Sunday, so I am wondering what I should do this week.

I was planning to get an hours riding in most days, and maybe a 30 minute run on 3 days, but now I am a little bit worried about whether I might aggravate the knee, and make it worse, so I am unable to ride the sportive at all.
I booked an appointment with the doctors for Wednesday evening, with the thinking that if the noise is still there on Wednesday I should at least get a professional opinion on whether I can ride the sportive. If it is hunky dory Wednesday morning I will cancel the appointment.

Anyone else had a noise like this with no shooting pain, if so, what did you do - ease up on the training, and or did it just go away........?
P.S it has now started clicking going upstairs as well, though not as loud as when coming downstairs.
It's my left knee, and if I press to the left of the kneecap, it seems to stop the noise.........

Many thanks

Dan

jonginge · August 2009

Could be a patella tracking issue caused by your increase in workload. Muscle gains are much quicker than for tendons so can pull things out of line. Stretch those quads, hip flexors, hamstrings etc. If it persists get it looked at.

AndyManc · August 2009

I've been told that 'clicking joints' is either a sign of arthritis or an indication that you are very fit :roll: , don't ask me about the science behind it.

I've had a few sessions at the gym where the following morning every joint in my body 'clicks' , personally, in my case, I think it's arthritis.

It will be interesting to know what your doctor says, if he's like my doc he will say "it's just one of those things" :? , I really do need to change GP :roll:

Oh yea as JonGinge says, stretching is the key, vastly under-rated and is recommended for musculoskeletal problems.

.

Roastie · August 2009

JonGinge wrote:

Could be a patella tracking issue caused by your increase in workload. Muscle gains are much quicker than for tendons so can pull things out of line. Stretch those quads, hip flexors, hamstrings etc. If it persists get it looked at.

+1 to this advice.

I suffer from knee problems, and am still nursing a running injury - so my additional 2c: Sounds like the increased load may be causing some wear on your cartilage - which is normal. You need to rest the joint a bit. Also, worth looking at joint care supplements which effectively help with joint regeneration.

Good luck, and take care of it!

daniel_b · August 2009

Nice one guys,

thankyou very much for the advice, I will have a go today, and see how the stretching goes.

The click going downstairs has now developed into what I would call a 'multiclick' so it has changed, whether this is good or bad I have no idea.

Will try some gentle stretches at lunchtime, and more this evening, and then again tomorrow during the day to see if I can not take up the doctors time.

Oh yeh, the other thing I hadn't thought about is that I am going on a cycling holiday in 6 weeks time, so maybe I will need to see the doc anyway, I think it is unlikely this repetitive noice is going to dissapear in another 36 hours.

I guess I need some advice on whether riding the sportive will risk more serious damage, and or risk meaning i can't do any cycling on the 10 day holiday, that would be far worse.

Out of interest, what would YOU do in my situation with regards to the sportive, and the noise??

Was thinking of having a gentle go on the turbo trainer tonight or later this week, just to see if the noise happens when I am pedalling - I can't tell on my commute as it is too noisy, but thoguht on the TT my gf might be able to listen and see if it making the noise.

I will update accordingly,

thanks again for the tips, really appreciate it,

Cheers

Dan

Paulie W · August 2009

This is in no way advice to ignore the clicking but I have had a clicking knee through a ceratin range of movement - which includes descending stairs - for years now with no knee trouble beyond an occasional soreness after lengthy, sustained effort. The doctor kind of shrugged his shoulders when I mentioned it once and said it was likely to be an issue with the cartledge but not to really worry unless it became consistently sore!!

Wallace1492 · August 2009

Does this new found clicking in your knee also accompanied by a desire to look for the name Sarah Connor in the phone book? Do you feel the need to wear leathers and ride a motorbike? If so, I think i know your problem......

Sewinman · August 2009

*I don't really know what I am talking about*, however, I had the same issue and started spinning lower gears and the clicking seemed to go away. *I don't really know what I am talking about*,

daniel_b · August 2009

LOL, thanks all,

no worries about disclaimers, I'll take any advice as purely that, and if I wreck my knee then it's my fault and mine alone!

Spinning lower gears would seem to make sense, I just need to figure out how, or if I need to make it go away when ascending/descending the invention known as the stairs.

Sewinman - you say it went away, does that mean you had a repetative click when walking (climbing stairs?), or could you hear it when on the bike?
I presume the former.

Also, once it had gone away, did you resume pushing a bigger hear, or have you stuck with spinning?

Cheers

Dan

davmaggs · August 2009

I had the same thing. During a check the Dr asked if I had any change in my pockets as he could hear noises when I moved. It was my knees.

His view was that the outer leg muscles were stronger than the inner ones (probably due to using the bike) so the knee was being pulled over to one side.

He did say that I need to sort that, otherwise it could lead to problems.

GyatsoLa · August 2009

I've had a click in my knee for a few months since taking up a little jogging as well as cycling. According to my physio the reason is as JonGinge says - an imbalance in the Patella. As she puts it, the knee is like a tent - if some guywires are too tight and others not tight enough, it floats all over the place. By cycling you are tightening some tendons/muscles too much, others not enough. Her advice may be personal to me, but she emphasises specific knee exercises to strengthen the 'weaker' muscles rather than stretching (probably assuming I already do enough).

When the clicking gets too much of a problem she does some manipulations that fix if for a few weeks, so I would advice getting a physio to look at the knee before the event to make sure it doesn't pack up on you half way through.

I'd also repeat what others have said about oil and related supplements, they do help lots of people.

daniel_b · August 2009

GyatsoLa wrote:

I'd also repeat what others have said about oil and related supplements, they do help lots of people.

Are we talking cod liver oil or something here?

Do you people who take them take them everyday....?

Dan

Stuey01 · August 2009

Glucosamine I think is what he is referring to. you can pick it up in health food shops.
also fish oil tablets are good. I'd get fish oil tabs over cod liver oil, I believe their EFA content is higher.

davmaggs · August 2009

It should be noted that the evidence for supplements is in no way conclusive. It's very subjective and a lot of the articles you find on the web are typically opinion pieces (like the drink x litres of water a day myth), so whilst it seems like there's lots of support for the idea due to the sheer volume of pages on Google, the science sites don't have the same confidence.

daniel_b · August 2009

Sure thing Dav,

I appreciate that there may be sujective opinions, and or no scientific proof for the use of glucosamine, but at the mo I am willing to try anything if it can get me on the sportive for Sunday, and if it also yields a faster fix, then I am certainly open to the idea, or at least trying it for a period of time.

P.S on a different note, has anyone used a knee brace/support whilst cycling to help when your carrying an injury?
What have you used?

Cheers

Dan

Stuey01 · August 2009

davmaggs wrote:

It should be noted that the evidence for supplements is in no way conclusive. It's very subjective and a lot of the articles you find on the web are typically opinion pieces (like the drink x litres of water a day myth), so whilst it seems like there's lots of support for the idea due to the sheer volume of pages on Google, the science sites don't have the same confidence.

True enough. But there is a fair bit of anecdotal evidence from athletes who put their bodies through the wringer.
It is quite common for the supplement market to move quicker than the scientific proof to back up what they are doing. Usually due to bodybuilders willing to push the boundaries and try new things, effectively human guinea pigs.

It's not that expensive and probably worth a bash.

davmaggs · August 2009

Supplements won't do it for Sunday as Glucosamine has something like a 6 week build up period. One paper I saw mentions this as a reason why people find it hard to know if anything is happening.

daniel_b · August 2009

davmaggs wrote:

Supplements won't do it for Sunday as Glucosamine has something like a 6 week build up period. One paper I saw mentions this as a reason why people find it hard to know if anything is happening.

That's very useful to know, then if I do try it, it might assist by the time of my cycling holiday, which is in 6 weeks!

Cheers

Dan

GyatsoLa · August 2009

Yes, I meant fish oil when I mentioned 'oil'.

From what I know (wikipedia has a good review of the evidence) the use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements is considered medically sound for joint related issues, although not necessarily of course for the particular clicking that the OP is complaining about.

GyatsoLa · August 2009

Oh, forgot to mention - my physio (who deals a lot with cyclists), said that when her patients take joint supplements it usually takes about 3 months before she can 'feel' the difference when manipulating the joints. Not scientific, but as she deals with these issues a lot I'd trust her word for it.

But in the short term, I'd repeat my recomendation to go see a physio before the event - both to establish if its safe to do it, and to see if he can do any manipulations to release any pressure by overtight muscles, if that is the problem.

redddraggon · August 2009

What's this got to do with commuting?

biondino · August 2009

redddraggon wrote:

What's this got to do with commuting?

Spen, you've changed your username!

Clicking knee and a sportive next Sunday........

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