Think I may have buggered my knee's

[Fastpedeller]

I have (had?) clonky knees, and ten years ago (when I wasn't riding much at the time - I've been riding 38 years) I went to an osteopath to get back treatment. She commented on my 'clonky knees' and was surprised I had no pain or any problems. I visited her again a couple of years later, and the clonking was less pronounced. I've recently upped my mileage, and I've not noticed them clonking at all (for clarity, they've never done it on the bike, just when sitting down, swinging leg to side etc). I put the improvement down to muscles stabilising the joint....... when I'm not doing much cycling my muscles deplete a little

[tobinen]

JustinF said:

tobinen said:

Tomorrow I have my 9th of 10 physio sessions to sort my knee out from the TdP stage 3. It's now been 3 months since I rode.

My patella (knee cap) doesn't track properly and clicks when I walk up stairs but this is not the cause of the pain. The pain is centred below and at the front the cap. My exercises have all been concentrated on stretching the ITBs and hamstrings and trying to engage my glutes.

It's slow progress and I've been good in keeping to the regime given to me. I really struggle with hamstring stretching but I think I am seeing some give at last. I still have a dull ache at the base of the cap but I haven't ridden in anger to see if the pain has gone. I've done 2 spin classes with no issue.

I've never had a injured knee before so I have no idea how long it will take. I hope I am near the end.

My LBS is rebuilding my Bianchi but it would be quicker to raise the Titanic quite frankly. He's decided to call it a day and close so his mind is elsewhere.

There's light at the end of the tunnel, I remember talking to you about knees at Moreton, mentioning it had had my off anything long for a year. Turns out the problem was not just my saddle being too high and causing over extension, it was as much that both my job and leisure time have me sitting down, my hamstrings are rarely at full extension, thus they complain. I now have a stool under my desk so I sit with my legs extended and I've not had a twinge or inflammation issue in months

Good to hear Justin. I recall our little chat. Yes, it's surprising that tight hamstrings can be a related to a knee issue (well I thought so anyway). They can also be a factor in lower back pain, something from which I've suffered for many years. Today is session number 9, fortunately all paid for through the work health insurance.

I like the stool idea. I may try something similar as I'm also desk-bound for work.

[cirian75]

I've been keeping my legs as straight as possible these last 24hrs and my knees are already feeling much better.

I'm going to do these

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/knee-exercis...

and get a low stool for home and work so I can keep stretching my hammies

My old job that I left in Oct 2014 was 8 to 9 hours a day on your feet with going up and down stairs a lot.

this job is 8 hours on my arse mostly, and its been 10 months, thinking about it I'm not surprised my knee muscles and hamstrings have weakened.

[tobinen]

Indeed, the office environment is not the best for backs and hamstrings. Right, I am off to see physio.

[cirian75]

2nd day of knee exercises, this is not a comfortable experience.

[ALawson]

Is it a clonk or a click?

My physio said don't worry about noises just pain in the knee, ortho surgeon was broadly in agreement. (Partial rupture ACL, Full Rupture MPFL and significant loss of cartilage to u/e of knee cap).

[cirian75]

ALawson said:

Is it a clonk or a click?

My physio said don't worry about noises just pain in the knee, ortho surgeon was broadly in agreement. (Partial rupture ACL, Full Rupture MPFL and significant loss of cartilage to u/e of knee cap).

does both and sometime it does hurt.

[tobinen]

Just had my 9th physio session and not much progress being made. She carried out a 'stress test' and it creaked and made a tearing noise - fortunately not too painful. It feels swollen even when walking. Fortunately I've been referred now to a knee specialist through the company scheme for an MRI scan and further checks.

So it looks like I will miss all the good weather this year

[N8CYL]

tobinen said:

Just had my 9th physio session and not much progress being made. She carried out a 'stress test' and it creaked and made a tearing noise - fortunately not too painful. It feels swollen even when walking. Fortunately I've been referred now to a knee specialist through the company scheme for an MRI scan and further checks.

So it looks like I will miss all the good weather this year

Feel for you, Im just recovering from a broken collar bone after a fight with a metal pipe across the road and losing, not fun watching Summer go by.

[Gruffy]

The noises my knees make are frankly terrifying. They sound like the tearing and grinding that you describe. All the specialists tell me it's not a problem and, while it's only my ears that it hurts, I still can't disassociate the sounds from the damage I expect it to be causing.

[cirian75]

Bought some nice stiff MTB shoes on Saturday and a set of Shimano M530's

Fitted the pedals, read a load on online guides on where to put the cleat, was test clipping in and out many times Sat, Sun and Mon.

Today was the 1st proper ride clipped in, minimum tension.

And it was the last, went over on junction of Beech road and Barlow Moore road.

Took em off, walked the 100 yards home in my socks, jumped in the car as soon as I got changed and put them back in their boxes, straight back to the shop and refunded already.

I'm not doing that ever again.

[JustinF]

erm why? you don't give any reason above

[JustinF]

The key is to unclip when you start braking not when you are about to stop. the moment you no longer need pedal input you get a foot out, that can be 100ft from your stopping point. waiting until the last pedal rotation at the junction is like playing scratchcards as an investment portfolio.

[lukeyman]

cirian75 said:

Bought some nice stiff MTB shoes on Saturday and a set of Shimano M530's

Fitted the pedals, read a load on online guides on where to put the cleat, was test clipping in and out many times Sat, Sun and Mon.

Today was the 1st proper ride clipped in, minimum tension.

And it was the last, went over on junction of Beech road and Barlow Moore road.

Took em off, walked the 100 yards home in my socks, jumped in the car as soon as I got changed and put them back in their boxes, straight back to the shop and refunded already.

I'm not doing that ever again.

Defeetist

[cirian75]

Knee's are feeling good again, time to resume riding, with out being Mr Stupid smashing at the lights in too high a gear.

[ALawson]

Good to hear, keep that cadence up at 100-110 rpm!

[Mr Ted]

loudlashadjuster said:

I wouldn't worry too much about mashing it causing you the grief, there's still a lot less stress on the knee from that burst of effort than there would be from a light jog.

I'd also say you'd be best staying on trainers and away from clipless if your knees are giving you problems now. The constriction in movement with clipless, even with a lot of float, is known to aggravate knee issues. A pair of solid MTB/skate shoes (FiveTens are brilliant) with decent flats might be a much better choice.

Plus 1 on this! I am an old fart, err mature rider (57), and I have had knee problems due to a lifetime of falling off motorbikes, I have tried with and without cleats and found that being able to move my feet around using flats and FiveTen Freeriders means I can ride for hours without knee pain, whereas even with 9 degree float Keo cleats my knees developed some soreness no matter how I adjusted the cleats.

Just something else to be aware of: my tame medical expert advised me that 'pulling upwards', that you might be tempted to do if using cleats, is not the best thing to do with dodgy knees (or hips for that matter!) the forces are trying to pull your legs off and you are relying entirely on muscle to keep your hip in joint!

Edited by Mr Ted on Friday 28th August 14:33

[Hell27]

cirian75 said:

Knee's are feeling good again, time to resume riding, with out being Mr Stupid smashing at the lights in too high a gear.

Cirian, you need to be at a saddle height that when seated, your feet are just brushing the floor when on tiptoe. At lights dismount over the frame, then remount as you pedal down. You will then be able to ride faster without pain and efficiently without having to come out of the seat as you were. You still might but it will be because you will have hit the next speed level.
Persist with the spds. It's far easier. I even use them on MTB trails, just unclip on the approach to a stop.

[cirian75]

Me and the bike sorted, so much better now.


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[JustinF]

Hell27 said:

Cirian, you need to be at a saddle height that when seated, your feet are just brushing the floor when on tiptoe. At lights dismount over the frame, then remount as you pedal down. You will then be able to ride faster without pain and efficiently without having to come out of the seat as you were. You still might but it will be because you will have hit the next speed level.
Persist with the spds. It's far easier. I even use them on MTB trails, just unclip on the approach to a stop.

what height off the floor is his bottom bracket and what lengths cranks are fitted? Oh you don't know? then how can you be so sure about the distance from his saddle to his pedals?
The old tip toes is something I remember from Cycling proficiency/scouts lessons, it's a reasonable approximation but by no means an accurate guide to good fit.

Edited by JustinF on Monday 31st August 20:25