Knee Pain Advice - Stabbing when bending

[TwistingMyMelon]

Had a few muscle imbalances in my knees causing knee ache from sitting and cycling, saw a physio for a few months, then all has been good . I cycle most days and spend 20 minutes a day stretching when I ride. Knee has been good the last few months, no aches etc

All has been great until yesterday...

Whenever I crouch & bend down I get a sudden stabbing pain, just under the patella , started yesterday when I bend down to open a safe as I do every morning without issue. At first it just felt a bit of a tight discomfort, later in the day it progressed to ouch , then by end of the day BLLIMMEY!

When to do my usual quad stretch this morning, as I do most mornings by holding ankle behind the glutes but couldn't get near as had a sudden stabbing pain beneath the patella. I then carefully cycled 10 miles to work (car in garage no choice) and all felt fine, including a steep hill.

I Entered a cycle hill climb event on Sunday , so legs were put through a lot of stress, plus my foot slipped off the pedal when starting and landed hard on ground, didnt ache or feel odd at time. Plus my legs are used to being pushed up steep hills .

Not sure what to do, or if it is serious? tempted to go back to my physio , but its bloody expensive (£70 a week) when I have a really expensive month a head of me . Or is it worth just avoiding anything that causes the stabbing pain for a few days and taking it from there? Is the GP an option?

To confirm, it feels ok to touch (no pain or swelling) and I can walk /cycle ok, its just bending/stretching it fully back causes a sudden stabbing pain, that gets worse each time

cheers in advance

[Foliage]

See a doctor.

[TwistingMyMelon]

Cheers, two week wait for appointments though, was hoping there was some advice in meantime

[FlyingMeeces]

GP definitely an option and probably not as long a wait as 2 weeks - ring up early in the morning, as soon as they open, explain the pain is new and severe and you're concerned.

[Forestfire]

Sorry, I'd vote for physio. Unlikely that you'd get an emergency appt same day appt the Docs with it anyway. Ice it (even if only in the evenings) and rest it up. Ice for 5 mins every 90 mins or so. Patellafemoral pain can occur for a number of reasons and the physio is better placed to help here. The doc would only confirm that you haven't got a meniscus tear or at worst will just say 'it's muscular' - this is not a criticism of GPs, but it's not really their bag. It may respond to some conservative treatment (soft tissue work, bit of taping etc.) and then you might need to look at some other factors (glute strengthening etc.) and if you cycle quite a lot, hip flexor stretches as well as quad stretches. Additionally, IMHO it's more important to stretch post exercise, not pre (although you should still warm up first).

[Biker 1]

Osteopath, without a doubt! There are some very good sports injury specialist ones out there.

[freshkid]

I had something similar...torn cartilage was the culprit. I tried to ignore it but one day my knee locked up painfully when I pulled my shoe off. Slept on it...and fell on my arse when I stepped out of bed the next morning. I had to wait quite some time for an operation...limping for months. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic to shave the cartilage sorted it but I think it may be coming back!

[TwistingMyMelon]

Cheers for all the help and advice , especially Forrestfire, that's really great advice and advice I have been following for the last 6 months since my last flare up, I now stretch twice a day, more so after exercise and really concentrate on hip flexors and extenders.

Thankfully all seems better (get in!!!!!!!) , Tuesday was a complete PITA, the stabbing started to get worse and radiate out more and more, feeling my leg my IT band seemed tight. I had a good foam roller session , concentrating on my IT band all down the leg , this immediately stopped the stabbing, I could then do a full quad stretch and crouch down with no stabbing and no discomfort., I cant even now trigger the stabbing pain anymore!! oddly the stabbing was directly under the knee, not to the side which I thought was more typical of IT band issues.

Knee feels fine, the leg feels a bit odd and the knee is very loud . although it has always has been very clicky and snappy , but 2 x Physios have said don't worry. but this could be down to all the foam rollering and stretching I have done this week (the odd feeling, not the noises).

Thanks again, hopefully with continued stretching and being careful should all be good. I have noticed that as soon as I ease off stretching my legs and knees do ache a lot