How reliable are your knees these days?

[night cycler]

The joints of the body do a lot of work during a life time. On the occasions when I have injured my knee, of which there has been quite a few over the years, cycling has not been one of them. In fact after a knee injury, I have found that 'gentle cycling' can aid recovery.

In my experience it does not take much to injure the knee joint. A sudden turn of direction while walking. Walking up steps while carrying something a bit heavy. Tripping over something, and even doing exercises designed to strengthen the knees.

For the cyclist, a knee injury is a big inconvenience. How are your knees, and what are your tips for keeping them strong, and recovery remedies when they get injured?

 

[ColinJ]

My top tip for preservation of knees is to be a healthy weight to reduce the load bearing down on them!

I was obese in 2012 and my knees were killing me. I struggled to stand up from chairs and I had to walk backwards to come downstairs. I thought that my knee joints were wrecked. It turns out that I was wrong...

I got very ill in 2012 and lost a lot of weight very quickly (several stone in less than a month!). My weight continued to fall as I recovered. By the time I was active again I was over 5 stone lighter. My knees were by then completely pain-free and still are a decade later. (I put about 1 stone back on but won't let myself get heavier than my current weight again.)

 

[night cycler]

A cautionary point for anyone over weight Colin.

 

[lazybloke]

Cycling has improved the stability of my worn knee joint. I just have to be careful not to push too high a gear on the hills, or they feel sore/inflamed for a few days.
A compact chaiinset a few years ago sorted that out. Next step (in the next few years) will probably be a wider range on the cassette.

 

[Cycleops]

Funny you should bring this up. Never had a problem until a few weeks ago when the left one started to give me pain. Walking was the worst but cycling it was fine. Would this be the onset of arthritis? I do have some stiffness in my fingers but the heat here lessens it. The knee has actually improved and is a lot better than it was. Just do as much cycling as I can and hope the other one doesn't start.

 

[fossyant]

Generally they have been absolutely fine. I did lose three weeks of cycling recently, as I'd twisted my knee in my sleep, then walked up Snowdon and down full of pain killers. It might have also been related to smacking my knee cap off a rock whilst MTB'ing in late December - that stung.

Other than this recent issue, all good. I do tend to keep my knees warm though.

 

[Mo1959]

It’s the only bit of me that doesn’t hurt these days! Like fossyant I keep mine warm and covered up in most weathers unless it’s really hot.

 

[vickster]

Not very, left is pretty worn but right is playing up too. X-ray not too bad wear wise but pain on walking for quite a while now. Will get MRI results on Tuesday, specialist and physio think torn meniscus most likely candidate.
Cycling (and swimming) generally less troublesome than any other activity as long as saddle not too low

 

[Andy in Germany]

I've been specifically told to keep cycling because it helps my knees stay straight. Apparently my kneecap doesn't move like it should but cycling helps the muscles which hold it straight to stay strong.

Running is painful.

 

[night cycler]

A consensus on the benefits of cycling where knees are concerned.

When the knees are playing up have you noticed how there is often no pain walking up a hill, but painful walking down hill.

 

[vickster]

A consensus on the benefits of cycling where knees concerned.

When the knees are playing up have you noticed how there is often no pain walking up a hill, but painful walking down hill.

That’s often due to lack of cartilage and joint space in an arthritic knee and that fact that the force of 7 times your bodyweight is going through your knees.

Cycling is closed chain and non weight bearing (unless you’re up on the pedals), hence less pressure on knees than walking, running

 

[postman]

I had nine years of knee trouble it nearly cost me my job.Excessive bending and twisting caused it to swell andlock up.It took an arthroscopy to put it right.The Consultant advised me to go on light duties.I had to get the GMB Union involved to help me,i had left the CWU union by then.I stayed on light duties till i left on voluntary retirement.The knee is fantastic all those years later mind you i have being doing exercises for years.

 

[night cycler]

@postman
Good that you could rely on the union when your employer lacked empathy.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Both my knees are damaged by twisting injuries.
I have recently been told by a physio that I have hypermobility syndrome, so need to watch how I move.
I didn't know this before injuring my knees, of course!
I find cycling, as long as I don't rind the gears, is great for keeping the knees pain free.
In fact, in 2020, while I was unable to walk or cycle because of knee damage, my other knee that had been pain free for years started to hurt again.

 

[raleighnut]

Both mine are fecked