Knee Pain

[Mohammad L]

Seems my chain and gears aren't the only things in need of maintenance...

I'v been getting knee pain for the last 3/4 weeks. However in the last week, it has become profound and I'm getting v.concerned.
I haven't changed anything on my training bike - one thing that may be worth mentioning is that my shimano cleats have worn away past the advised line (but I can't really see how this would make much of a difference).

Whilst riding:

Both knee joints affected? yes, about the same severity in both
Severity? quite severe - i have to go up a cog at times on average as a result
Location? medial and superior to knee joints in the region of the vastus medialis (one of the 4 quadricep muscles), which also hurts

Whilst at home sitting normally ( i.e hip and knee angle at 90 degrees):

I gently sway each knee from side to side whilst placing my hand over the joint and there is an abnormal, unhealthy-sounding noise (like a stiff door hinge in need of some wd40). Both knees are very stiff and make faint creaking noises constant throughout the full movement .

I have noticed that the knee pain features more in cold conditions because last Saturday (when it was warmer, sunnier and not much windchill) it was not really a problem. Could it be the cold weather and wearing only one roubaix layer over the knee?

I took an anti-inflammatory for it yesterday and hasn't made a difference so I'm going to see the GP about it but before I do, I wanted to know whether any other members have :

experienced any knee pain, and if so what was the cause, whose help they sought, and how it was resolved?

Thanks

[Phil H]

Disclaimer: I don't know what I'm talking about.

Sounds like your saddle could be a fraction low. Have you had a bike fit?

[Mohammad L]

Phil,

No , not had a bike fit yet - was going to consider one.

The saddle position on my training bike is strange - because if it goes any higher, I won't be able to disembark at junctions or traffic lights and will most likely fall off. I would prefer it higher because my knees are bending more than I would prefer ( but I wasn't getting any knee pain in the exact position last year ). My saddle is higher on the racing bike for tt so the knee angle is less acute during riding - I'm contemplating lowering this a bit because recently I've been doing a lot of riding outdoors on the training bike

Could it be crank length? I run 170mm on my training road bike and 172.5mm on the racing bike with clip-ons, but I haven't been turbo-ing much on the latter anyway as of late

[George]

Mo I have a book you can have about knee pain relating to sport.

[Andrew G]

Firstly, see your GP and get checked out.

Secondly, yes cleats could be the problem. Without knowing position on bike etc etc can't comment on anything else really. Cleat wear could effect stack height which would alter your position, or it could also effect the amount of movement of your foot on the pedal. Very small differences can have big knock on effects due to the high repetition of the movement you have when pedaling. Sometimes these can not be clear when they start and when you start to feel pain it was actually caused ages ago and is just starting to make itself known. Once the damage is done, nothing serious but just musculature or small ligament damage it will take rest and a bit of time to clear up. It won't take long in general if you fix the problem but equally it won't go away overnight.

You should have all your bikes set up the same (road bikes, TT position is different). Winter hack or snazzy road bike should have the contact points in the same position.

[Ant]

[quote="Mohammad L"]
The saddle position on my training bike is strange - because if it goes any higher, I won't be able to disembark at junctions or traffic lights and will most likely fall off.

[quote="Ant"][quote="Mohammad L"]
The saddle position on my training bike is strange - because if it goes any higher, I won't be able to disembark at junctions or traffic lights and will most likely fall off.

[Toks]

[quote="Mohammad L"]Seems my chain and gears aren't the only things in need of maintenance...

I'v been getting knee pain for the last 3/4 weeks. However in the last week, it has become profound and I'm getting v.concerned.
I haven't changed anything on my training bike - one thing that may be worth mentioning is that my shimano cleats have worn away past the advised line (but I can't really see how this would make much of a difference).

Whilst riding:

Both knee joints affected? yes, about the same severity in both
Severity? quite severe - i have to go up a cog at times on average as a result
Location? medial and superior to knee joints in the region of the vastus medialis (one of the 4 quadricep muscles), which also hurts

Whilst at home sitting normally ( i.e hip and knee angle at 90 degrees):

I gently sway each knee from side to side whilst placing my hand over the joint and there is an abnormal, unhealthy-sounding noise (like a stiff door hinge in need of some wd40). Both knees are very stiff and make faint creaking noises constant throughout the full movement .

I have noticed that the knee pain features more in cold conditions because last Saturday (when it was warmer, sunnier and not much windchill) it was not really a problem. Could it be the cold weather and wearing only one roubaix layer over the knee?

I took an anti-inflammatory for it yesterday and hasn't made a difference so I'm going to see the GP about it but before I do, I wanted to know whether any other members have :

experienced any knee pain, and if so what was the cause, whose help they sought, and how it was resolved?

Thanks

[Phil H]

Toks: Should he cut down to your level or keep actually riding?

[Toks]

[quote="Phil the Pie"]Toks: Should he cut down to your level or keep actually riding?

[olderigetbetteriwas]

mo,
1. cleat wear can have major effects way beyond what you would think possible.
2. saddle height is important...does sound like you might have it too low.
3. you do mad rides...i know you love these long time trials so i guess maybe 200 mile rides are needed....but if you have any positional issues these kind of rides will eventually cause issues.
4. there is a condition called Chondromalacia patella...where the cartilage on the backside of the patella begins to roughen and cause serious pain...are you pushing big gears? this could be a cause.

[quote="olderigetbetteriwas"]mo,
1. cleat wear can have major effects way beyond what you would think possible.
.

[olderigetbetteriwas]

70-75 rpm? jeez man, that is a BIG gear. forget knee trouble..you'll give yourself a hernia!
also, i haven't seen you ride for a long time but i seem to remember that i once commented about about your low saddle height when you first started riding? if you haven't upped it since then i would say low saddle height could be a real issue....

[olderigetbetteriwas]

also, if you wanna push 97 rpm, why train at 70-75? that don't make sense to me.

[Mohammad L]

[quote="olderigetbetteriwas"] if you haven't upped it since then i would say low saddle height could be a real issue....