vickster
Legendary Member
Sounds like arthritis or possibly a meniscus tear...or both (the former can lead to the latter). Get an x-ray in the first instance
How reliable are your knees these days?
- Thread starter night cycler
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Sounds like arthritis or possibly a meniscus tear...or both (the former can lead to the latter). Get an x-ray in the first instance
Big John
Guru
I had what I thought at the time was a 'knee injury'. I was a runner at the time. This was a out 16 years ago. Runners, after a while, get used to impact issues and I just thought it was yet another one to get over. It didn't go so I saw a specialist after a lot of fruitless visits to the physio. Had X rays. Result : arthritis in the right knee. Running was now impossible so I concentrated on the bike, which had always been there for as long as I can remember. After all I'd been cycling every day to work for about 25 years by this time. The riding gave me a new lease of life and ably filled the gap that running had left. Has it got worse since i was first diagnosed? Yes, more so when walking than riding the bike, but I'm still able to do it and regularly three times a week with my average ride being about 40 miles. The only thing now is that I can't get out of the saddle on climbs, which is a bugger but a small price to pay for still being able to get out 👍
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
Knees fine. Want to lose more weight before I start running again.
vickster
Legendary Member
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
good luck getting an appointment around here , doctors is still phone only .Im going to get some anti inflammatories and see if it settles first .Heck i could easily have banged myself and forgot about it as im always hurting myself lately
Fiona R
Formerly known as Cranky Knee Girl
- Location
- N Somerset
A heck of a lot better than 20 years ago. Could hardly walk in my late 30s due to skiing accident in early 20s and a carbon fibre ACL replacement that was OK for 10 or so years then started shredding. It was removed and I had a huge reaction to the disturbed fibres and was in hospital for 2 weeks on morphine. Sent home and told to come back at 60 for TKR. 3 school age children, my own retail business and online store. working 6 1/2 day weeks on all the painkillers. Don't remember much through the haze. Zero exercise, overweight.
Started googling treatment, referred myself to a knee specialist in the days of choose and book (how lucky was I) Surgeon agreed I couldn't go on and replaced it, age 42. Once the block wore off no more painkillers required. Moved to Bristol after selling business 10 years ago, live on a shared use path, started cycling a bit, into city and to my new job in a supermarket. Entered a 100km sportive. crashed at the end, bust my ribs, bought a road bike and did 100km ride every month hoping I wasn't wearing out my knee.
Then I tried a 100 miles and survived, then 200km. Again thought I shouldn't push it but in Jan 2019 entered a winter 200. Did it and then rode a 200 every month for a year. (Audax RRtY award) started another, then c___d Im slow, I never really lose the weight (still overweight and would love to lose 10kg) I completed my 2nd RRtY on Saturday. I'm fit enough for a 57 yo. all of that whilst going through menopause and not having muscle memory to fall back on like athletic types do.
I was always told each 1lb excess is 4lb downhill so when people say I shouldn't worry about the 10kg it's not true medically. I had years of prolapsed discs from limping which slowly sorted themselves out as I got fitter. Every now and then my back goes, I keep going until it sorts itself ouyt again. Takes up to a year.
Still not great at standing/walking. I do weights but no running. Swimming, yoga and spin classes for HIIT training. i have quite a lot of arthritis all over now, it's a lot worse when I don't get exercise.
I also no longer drive due to eyesight (rare genetic disease) so a good job I'd sold my car 2 years prior to optician saying at a check up 5 years ago, that my sight had just dipped below as I was cycling everywhere anyway. Lucky that OH drives though. Far worse things have happened to others, I'm so lucky.
Often think I should change my name here now
Started googling treatment, referred myself to a knee specialist in the days of choose and book (how lucky was I) Surgeon agreed I couldn't go on and replaced it, age 42. Once the block wore off no more painkillers required. Moved to Bristol after selling business 10 years ago, live on a shared use path, started cycling a bit, into city and to my new job in a supermarket. Entered a 100km sportive. crashed at the end, bust my ribs, bought a road bike and did 100km ride every month hoping I wasn't wearing out my knee.
Then I tried a 100 miles and survived, then 200km. Again thought I shouldn't push it but in Jan 2019 entered a winter 200. Did it and then rode a 200 every month for a year. (Audax RRtY award) started another, then c___d Im slow, I never really lose the weight (still overweight and would love to lose 10kg) I completed my 2nd RRtY on Saturday. I'm fit enough for a 57 yo. all of that whilst going through menopause and not having muscle memory to fall back on like athletic types do.
I was always told each 1lb excess is 4lb downhill so when people say I shouldn't worry about the 10kg it's not true medically. I had years of prolapsed discs from limping which slowly sorted themselves out as I got fitter. Every now and then my back goes, I keep going until it sorts itself ouyt again. Takes up to a year.
Still not great at standing/walking. I do weights but no running. Swimming, yoga and spin classes for HIIT training. i have quite a lot of arthritis all over now, it's a lot worse when I don't get exercise.
I also no longer drive due to eyesight (rare genetic disease) so a good job I'd sold my car 2 years prior to optician saying at a check up 5 years ago, that my sight had just dipped below as I was cycling everywhere anyway. Lucky that OH drives though. Far worse things have happened to others, I'm so lucky.
Often think I should change my name here now
Last edited:
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Rub some 2.32% Voltaren gel into them, and use ice.
You have private healthcare, no? Just see a physio, they can refer you onto a specialist if needed. Don’t usually need a GP referral for private physio
i have got some extra strong ibuprofen gel atm
vickster
Legendary Member
Same thing pretty much
Pretty OK, had knee problems in my early twenties and thirties through kneeling, poor protection-house maids knee a few times. TV repairman back then
Since I took up cycling and lost weight very rarely I have problems.
I try not to kneel , I can Asian squat for most low jobs.
But if I do kneel it's on a 50mm thick foam pad I bought.
Since I took up cycling and lost weight very rarely I have problems.
I try not to kneel , I can Asian squat for most low jobs.
But if I do kneel it's on a 50mm thick foam pad I bought.
nagden
Über Member
- Location
- Normandy, France
My knees are a lot better than they were. I was struggling around on 52/40 chainring with 12/28 at the back. I put on a cheap 46/30 and then put on a 48/38/28 it has made life easier in my hilly area and my 67 year old knees are very appreciative.
pawl
Legendary Member
- Location
- Desford Leicestershire
Reading the above I have very similar problems Walking is not good due to left knee pain . I use a Lecki walking stick to relieve the pressure on my right knee and hip. Cycling not so much of a problem I do take a Cupofren tablet and rub inVolterol gel to my right knee and both hips which goes some way to alleviating the problem .I have tried a knee support but that didn’t help much The problem is that on hills I can’t always stand on the pedals to aid climbing as on occasions my right knee gives way On my Ultegra 11speed I now use a 34 x34 low gear
My winter bikes have 9 speed Campag 28 x52 42 34 Unfortunately the lowest gear I can find for Campag is29 Looking at a new front off 42 32 28 Problem is the the front mech is braze on and am unsure if I will be able to lower the mech enough Discussed my physical problems with a physio friend Her diagnosis was possible I may need a knee replacement and possibly hip replacement.
Not really an option at 81 I’m likely to be pushing up daisies if current waiting lists are anything to go by.lll just keep plodding on .Might think of an E bike as a last resort
Will continue with my three times a week of 15 20 and 35 mile loops as my weekly rides
My winter bikes have 9 speed Campag 28 x52 42 34 Unfortunately the lowest gear I can find for Campag is29 Looking at a new front off 42 32 28 Problem is the the front mech is braze on and am unsure if I will be able to lower the mech enough Discussed my physical problems with a physio friend Her diagnosis was possible I may need a knee replacement and possibly hip replacement.
Not really an option at 81 I’m likely to be pushing up daisies if current waiting lists are anything to go by.lll just keep plodding on .Might think of an E bike as a last resort
Will continue with my three times a week of 15 20 and 35 mile loops as my weekly rides
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
just been thinking my pedals are worn and i sanded them down to make them level on the outside , i will swap for a new pair and see if it makes any difference
My left knee is the most problematic part of my body, often clicks, crunches and cracks, with the medial ligament easy to tweak. It pains me sometimes when riding, for no apparent reason and can be like that for a few rides before just appearing to right itself again. Will probably end up with an op on it later in life 🤷♂️
