Knee problem...any idea what this is?

[Sellyb]

The day after an endurance event, the back of my left knee to the inside, feels like something is twanging (feels like a vertical direction),, almost like a loose rubber band, just as I straighten that leg when walking down the stairs. When I do intense, shorter, rides, it starts to hurt in the same area as I ride.
Does anyone have any idea what this may be? It's not painful after the long distance rides, but not a pleasant sensation either.
I am a little nervous of a doctor or physio playing with it and making it worse, as that has happened before.
I think my saddle is a good height, my legs are almost straight when the pedal is vertical, and it doesn't feel uncomfortable riding. I would be grateful for any ideas and advice.

 

[John_c]

Sounds like ITB http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliotibial_band_syndrome
Are you using clipless peddles? I had the same problem, turns out the cause was my cleats where set wrong, in relation to my natural gate, (ten to two feet). A simple adjustment to bring my feet into a more natural postion while ride has cured the problem.

HTH

 

[HLaB]

If its ITB stretch, I find standing up, crossing my legs and leaning to the opposite side of the top leg works best (repeat for the other leg)

 

[Sellyb]

I have looked up that ITB syndrome, but my pain is on the inside at the back not the outside. I also find it happens without clipless, on normal flat pedals. Thank you anyway.

 

[doctornige]

That is probably not ITBS. I have that, and it starts laterally and moves medial and posterior. Involvement of the lateral ligament is the differential. I would start by doing some hamstring stretches daily and before a ride and seeing if that helps. If you are really worried, see a physio, but they can be 1. Unavailable. 2. Not really able to help.

 

[Sellyb]

Thank you

 

[Crackle]

Sure you saddle isn't a touch high. I've had what sounds similar after raising my saddle too high. Only in one knee as well as one leg must be longer that the other, not in a Quasimodo kind of way, just the usual manufacturing tolerances we're all born with.

Also take a look at this page http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

 

[Sellyb]

Thank you again, that is most helpful

 

[Manonabike]

Knee pain:

Top of the knee then probably pushing too hard gears.

Lateral pain then probably the saddle is too far forward.

Front of the knee then probably the saddle is too low

Back of the knee then probably saddle is too high.

 

[doctornige]

Oh, without being impolite, how old are you?

 

[Sellyb]

I am over 30 but under 40!

 

[doctornige]

Yep. That's when my knee problems started. An active youth of mountaineering built big legs that went unused for a decade. Then the ligament trouble started, which I put down to muscles remaining powerful, but ligaments losing stretch. Stretch a bit and see what happens.

 

[Sellyb]

Thank you, I think it may be my hamstrings.

 

[rdt]

"my legs are almost straight when the pedal is vertical"


As Crackle suggests, this pain may well be due to overextension of your leg, caused in turn by your seat being too high / too far back. It may occur on the left leg due that leg being shorter than the right (leg length discrepancies are common).

I've actually had that problem myself. I'd had a "perfect" bike setup after a professional bike fit a few years ago that worked great. I eventually succumbed to the temptation to tweak this setup, the end result being a slightly longer leg extension on the pedal downstroke. The result was pain similar to what you describe (and in only one leg, due to a leg length discrepancy). Slight reductions (a few mm) to seat height/setback prevent the pain occurring; increasing the height/setback by a few mm causes the pain to return.

Make a mark on seat post to record the seat's current height, and then try reducing the height by a few mm at a time, over a number of rides, to see if the problem goes away.

 

[doctornige]

Oh, I missed that. Your leg should be slightly bent at the bottom of the stroke. I made a jig from two long bits of thin wood and a pivoting bolt. I set it at 15 degrees off straight and used that to determine the seat height by having my wife hold the jig against my leg a the bottom of the stroke.

Having a straight leg causes a pull on the back of the knee and makes your hips tilt as you pedal.

fix that, but continue he stretches too.