pain in outside of left knee

kaiserpc
kaiserpc Posts: 22
Hi,

I've started getting a dull pain in the outside of my left knee (if you turn your leg sideways it's about half way between the top of the knee cap and the back of my knee). I've never had the pain until 2 weeks ago when I was 100 miles into a 120 mile ride. By the time I got home the pain was much worse and I felt like I had no strength in my leg - especially below my knee and into my foot. Standing up made no difference and was probably worse.

Anyway, the next day I commuted to work as normal and it got sore again, so I left it for a week before commuting again (10 mile round trip). Commuting was then fine, and I went for a shortish training run last night - 45 miles. It started getting sore again after about 15 - 20 miles and by the time I got home I was feeling the pain on every stroke and I could feel I had no strength again when going up any hills.

Funnily enough it is only sore when cycling, I play football twice a week and it doesn't affect it at all. Plus it's not the case of just doing too much too soon - as I have done loads of runs this year - including a very hilly 100 2 weeks before the 120 and I was absolutely fine.

I did have a dull ache in my left hip a couple of months ago - which didn't affect me too much but that has gone away by itself.

Doing a bit of research on the net it sounds like an IT band problem. Has anyone had a similar injury and if so what is the best treatment / stretches etc?

I'm doing a tour in France in 5 weeks time so I'm hoping it will be okay by then

Comments

  • Rouge Penguin
    Rouge Penguin Posts: 347
    Theres a thread about 3 pages back, lots of discussion and some tips
  • TheBullet
    TheBullet Posts: 58
    Yes it sounds like an IT band problem. This happened to me and like you I had done a lot of miles before i started to get a problem. I went to see a specialist leg chiropractor who told me it was due to a misalignment in my legs (actually brought on by an old ankle injury 3-4 years before) which made the IT band rub and over time got worse until it started to hurt.

    The cure for me was getting some fitted insoles and getting a proper bikefit. Since then I have been pain free.

    My advice is see a specialist because if it is the IT band I doubt it it will just go away. Even if you rest for a while it will build back up and eventually cause you pain again.

    Good luck.
    Winners never quit and quitters never win!!
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    If its IT band there are some stretches that will help. See a physio for diagnosis and treatment :)
  • Cannon71
    Cannon71 Posts: 92
    1st port of call - a physiotherapist/orhtopaedic-bod/biomechanic.

    I bust my ACLs a few years ago and after some arthoroscopy, went for physio. They gave me accupuncture in my IT bands, but I didn't feel any different. (Perhaps the placebo effect simply didn't work on me!) Amongst all the other exercises I was given, I was told to lie on my side with a foam cylinder (~Ø6-8") under my IT band and roll up and down on it. This gave the effect of massaging the tendon. Rubbing the tendon was also supposed to help.

    As the physio wound up, I started seeing a chap called Dave Nicholls, a Podiatrist from Footprints Healthcare (as I was concerned about asymetry in my knees & future skeletal imbalance). He checked my posture & gait and fashioned some footbeds to balance out my footstrikes, rolls & propulsion which had the benefit of removing lower-back pain during XC runs.

    So try the foam rolls, but find a podiatrist too. :)
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    I had something similar many years ago - turned out I had partially dislocated my fibula, so might be worth adding that to your list of possibilities....
  • ives.
    ives. Posts: 62
    IT band is usually a running related injury.
    If it only flares up cycling and not after playing footie, I'd suspect it might be more to do with bike position/pedals/cleats