Knee ache

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

RedBike

New Member
Location
Beside the road
I've knackered my knees pushing too big a gear.

The Doc muttered something about bone pain and the synovial membrane. I have no idea what he was on about. The top and bottom of it is i'm supposed to stay off the bike for a few MONTHS and see a specialist.

I have a 24hr race in a fortnights time. I could do with me knees back for then. At the moment I can't even walk so any tips to put me back on the road to recovery QUICKLY.

BTW, should it be a hot or a cold pad that I apply to the knees? Neither seems to work?
 
Location
Edinburgh
Listen to your doc & specialist, not a bunch of internet cyclists who know nothing about your specific circumstances or condition. It's not worth risking your long term knee health over.
 
D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
I agree with the others, listen to your doctors, get your knee fixed then ride your bike, there's likely to be a lot less grief that way.
 

ChrisKH

Guru
Location
Essex
+1

Relevant insofar as I haven't done it since, but I played rugby on an injured shoulder once and I'm still suffering the consequences. You will race again. It just won't be that race. Rest as the doc says.
 

marxist_fixie

Proper tea is theft [with apologies to Prodhom]
Location
Near Cambridge
I agree with Nick!.....This time your race has been run....take Glucsamine and Chondrotin...helped my knee prbs [use Google] but not an over night remedy....takes at least a month t improve things....i used to get a sharp pain in my right knee when climbing out of the saddle.....now no pain at all.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Sorry to hear about the knees RB!

Have a think about it though - even if there was some miracle cure for your knees and you got them back into action in time for the 24 hour race, just what do you think the outcome of that would be? You'd launch yourself into the race, probably bugger the knees up altogether and end up being taken away on a stretcher mid-race.

You need to listen to your body and your doctor or you'll end up doing some serious damage to yourself.

I greatly admire your cycling exploits but this was something that was always going to happen - you push yourself too hard! Looking back over the last week or two on your blog:
  • 26th April - 120 mile offroad ride taking 18.5 hours. Knees hurt.
  • 30th April - ill!
  • 4th May - 192 mile ride!
  • 6th May - hilly offroad ride home from work kills knees.
  • 7th May - how to patch up knees so you can batter them again in 2 weeks time?

Take whatever rest you need, and maybe when you get back on the bike you should start using lower gears?

As for the hold/cold question - aren't you supposed to use cold compresses on inflamed joints to reduce inflammation? Doesn't heat make any inflammation worse?
 

Rohloff_Brompton_Rider

Formerly just_fixed
synovial membrane is a very thin balloon that runs around parts of the body. its filled with fluid. it is very thin and reduces friction. the only thing i've learnt that can happen is an infection causes inflammation or being squished and mishap-en and is supposed to be absolutely agonizing and debilitating. if you have that then i feel sorry for you.

it is a very long term condition.

however i don't know how a gp can diagnose this. perhaps he was just speculating and why he has passed you onto a specialist.

one things for sure, it will get worse before it gets better, sorry buddy. perhaps a lesson to us all. don't push big gears.
 
OP
OP
RedBike

RedBike

New Member
Location
Beside the road
Lol Colin you've missed a few

I've upped the commuting distance quite a lot. I was riding ~2 hours to work then 4/5hours on the way home. I'm not sure of my mileages but with the exception of the last two weeks when i've either been ill or had knee ache I think I was clocking up about 300/500miles a week. A lot of which was off-road.

I don't know what to do about the knees. I can hardly walk and riding is still completely out of the question.
 

Rohloff_Brompton_Rider

Formerly just_fixed
you may find that they start giving way unexpectedly. or kinda bending backwards and setting on fire with absolutely agonizing pain.

use ice for no more than 15 minutes. this to help reduce any swelling. then after an hour or so shower the knee with as hot as you can stand water, this makes the epidermis release painkiller into the area and you will get some relief (and red skin) that will last for at least a few hours.

walking sticks may be an idea just in case of the collapsing or bending back thing.

for goodness sakes john, just take it easy and listen to the doctors and specialists.

why did the doc mention synovial membrane? have you had previous serious problems before?
 
OP
OP
RedBike

RedBike

New Member
Location
Beside the road
Shaun.

you may find that they start giving way unexpectedly. or kinda bending backwards and setting on fire with absolutely agonizing pain.

I wish you hadn't said that. On friday I fell trying to get up the stairs at work. I picked myself and tried to continue walking up the stairs, only I couldn't. It was as though my leg was on back-to-front. I couldn't lift my foot up high enough to put it on the next step.

Thankfully I haven't had the agonising pain or the fire thing yet.

The Doc didn't really know. It was a case of rest, if it isn't better in a few days time then we'll take things further / do a few tests.

I'm walking about today (just) but they're clearly not right. I have full movement and the knees don't hurt to move but they feel brused and ache if I put any pressure on them.

I've got very little sleep over the last two nights with my knee aching.
 

Rohloff_Brompton_Rider

Formerly just_fixed
sounds nasty. i had a bad knee, patella damage, over the winter and know what you mean about sleeplessness. i bandaged mine up, above and below the knee, and slept with a pillow between my knees.

i really hope it's not as bad as the doc said. it made me feel old and knackered, it was quite depressing. good luck and hopefully a speedy 100% recovery.
 
Top Bottom