Knee pain

[Trigger369]

Done my first 100mile sportive yesterday and I'm in pain .
Pain started on the outside of the left knee 40 miles in and gradually got worse. 50miles after lunch pain started on the outside of the right knee . I wanted to quit and get in the recovery car and go home but carried on. Had another short break and struggled on thru the excruciating pain with every pedal turn .
I have been able to do a 20 /30/60 mile ride and the odd turbo session leading up to this sportive and had a week off the bike last week on holidays. Never changed anything on bike since follow up of a bike fit 4weeks ago ,changed saddle and moved cleats as shoes where rubbing on crank arms . all was well since and I have done at least 200miles since it. Hope I havnt caused lasting damage by going to the end and not stopping .
I sent an email to my bike fitter and the called me back and wants me back in to look at adjusting cleats agian .
24hrs later and I'm still really sore with no swelling. Is there any thing i can do to help it heal ?

 

[Spiderweb]

Done my first 100mile sportive yesterday and I'm in pain .
Pain started on the outside of the left knee 40 miles in and gradually got worse. 50miles after lunch pain started on the outside of the right knee . I wanted to quit and get in the recovery car and go home but carried on. Had another short break and struggled on thru the excruciating pain with every pedal turn .
I have been able to do a 20 /30/60 mile ride and the odd turbo session leading up to this sportive and had a week off the bike last week on holidays. Never changed anything on bike since follow up of a bike fit 4weeks ago ,changed saddle and moved cleats as shoes where rubbing on crank arms . all was well since and I have done at least 200miles since it. Hope I havnt caused lasting damage by going to the end and not stopping .
I sent an email to my bike fitter and the called me back and wants me back in to look at adjusting cleats agian .
24hrs later and I'm still really sore with no swelling. Is there any thing i can do to help it heal ?

This happened to me on a long ride, it felt even worse when I got off the bike and walked. I booked an appointment with the GP (could only get one in 3 days) the day of the appointment it was feeling much better so I cancelled the GP and after a week I was pain free.

Ibuprofen helped.

 

[vickster]

Rest ice compression elevation. Anti inflammatory medication or painkiller like paracetamol. If not better in a few weeks, see a doctor or physio (hopefully your fitter has some medical training or thorough musculoskeletal knowledge?). Stay off the bike until better, hopefully just overuse

Presumably you stretched after the ride?

 

[Trigger369]

This happened to me on a long ride, it felt even worse when I got off the bike and walked. I booked an appointment with the GP (could only get one in 3 days) the day of the appointment it was feeling much better so I cancelled the GP and after a week I was pain free.

Ibuprofen helped.

Thanks Have I some here at home

 

[Trigger369]

Rest ice compression elevation. Anti inflammatory medication or painkiller like paracetamol. If not better in a few weeks, see a doctor or physio (hopefully your fitter has some medical training or thorough musculoskeletal knowledge?). Stay off the bike until better, hopefully just overuse

Presumably you stretched after the ride?

Didn't stretch but walked a couple hundred meters to the car ant the end . Can't get total rest as I need to go to work bills need paid. Fitter was an semi pro so should know his stuff hopefully. Thanks for the recovery tips

 

[vickster]

Didn't stretch but walked a couple hundred meters to the car ant the end . Can't get total rest as I need to go to work bills need paid

Get a knee support maybe if it's bad. And take some meds and use some ice. See a physio If the bike fitter isn't one. Rest from cycling, gym etc

 

[Buck]

Sounds like your illotibial band could be the issue?

This can really,tighten up especially if prone to rubbing against the side of your knee bone, causing inflammation.


https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-infor...d-care/ilio-tibial-band-itb-friction-syndrome

 

[Ajay]

If the pain is on the outside of the knee rather than in the joint itself, it could well be linked to the ITB. Google for more info, eg. https://www.trackcyclingacademy.com/blog/cyclist-s-worst-enemy-the-itb-iliotibial-band
https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/fitness-nutrition/how-to-treat-avoid-iliotibial-band-syndrome/
it's a very common cause of knee pain in cyclists. DIY physio with a foam roller and proper hip flexor stretching have helped me in the past.

 

[Ajay]

Ha, Buck beat me to it!

 

[rualexander]

Waste of time seeing a gp, if you're going to see anyone make it a decent sports physio.
But it''ll probably clear up on its own pretty quickly.
Going from 60 miles to 100 miles is a big jump, you've overdone it.

 

[Trigger369]

Waste of time seeing a gp, if you're going to see anyone make it a decent sports physio.
But it''ll probably clear up on its own pretty quickly.
Going from 60 miles to 100 miles is a big jump, you've overdone it.

I forgot about the 80 I did a fortnight ago as well. But this started 40 miles in .maybe have just over done it a bit or it's a fitting problem .

 

[CXRAndy]

Hindsight, it was a poor decision to alter the riding position a few weeks before a big ride. It probably included several points of adjustment. Was the original position good for 60 miles? Your preparation seemed a little hit and miss, unless you've left out details of rides. Rest now, so problem settles and revisit riding position, especially seat height and fore/aft. Setting up a bike is not difficult, it takes a little reading and step by step small adjustments to fine tune.

 

[ozboz]

I have similar recurring priblems with knees , hardly surprising after 40 years of tiling , Boots sell knee supports i do not know which brand they are but are blue in colour and cost about £34-5 a pop, they have been xlnt for me , i can take a pic tonight of one if you may be intetested , usually only the larger stores have them ,
Had mine a good few years now and still doing their bit , also they are comfortable to wear

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'm convinced a lot of cycling knee problems have their root cause in the insistence of many "serious" cyclists in wearing cleats, as your foot cannot self-align according to where your joints want it to be placed. Why not ditch the clipless and do a same distance ride on flat pedals and see if it is more comfortable?

 

[Trigger369]

Hindsight, it was a poor decision to alter the riding position a few weeks before a big ride. It probably included several points of adjustment. Was the original position good for 60 miles? Your preparation seemed a little hit and miss, unless you've left out details of rides. Rest now, so problem settles and revisit riding position, especially seat height and fore/aft. Setting up a bike is not difficult, it takes a little reading and step by step small adjustments to fine tune.

The original cleat position was good before the little adjustment for the 60 miles ride .adjustment was only to stop shoes rubbing on crank arm. The position was good after the adjustment on the 80mile ride with no pain .
So Ile rest up and change it back to where it was ,I could put up with the shoes rubbing if it sorts it