new bike - 100 mile charity rides/tow paths

[vickster]

Do you get issues doing anything other than cycling? Squatting, stairs, kneeling, running, sitting? It may be a muscle imbalance, cycling is very quad heavy and you need to consciously use the other leg/bum musculature

You need a good physio to check everything, worth spending the £50 or whatever for an initial appointment

Maybe you are getting tired at the 40k mark, not a short distance on an MTB and over stressing your legs in some way, losing form, core is slackening all sorts

 

[Cyclist33]

Sorry, late to the party.

Can't really offer any advice except that I'm astonished that you'd ask here and try all kinds of solutions instead of visiting your GP. "terrible pain" that is localised and stops you from walking must be something to get checked up, unless you're exaggerating.

Stu

 

[vickster]

Especially after 5 years of pain!

 

[1234567]

Thanks again for all the input guys...

I have no pain with any other activity at all. Neither do I have any pain in my right knee. In terms of 40km, I feel neither tired nor that I've exercised hard - it is purely my left knee that gets sore. I do other sports, and exert myself significantly more than these types of rides do, so do not find them taxing.

As mentioned, I am visiting my GP on Friday - hopefully to get some physiotherapy thereafter. Incidentally I have visited a GP for this before and have simply been advised to stop cycling once painful with no further investigation offered despite my protest.

To that end, my routes are tailored so that once it begins to get painful, I am never too far from home so can get back before it is a problem. The pain begins very mildly and quickly gets more painful until debilitating. This only starts after ~30km with mild pain.

 

[vickster]

Ask for a referral to a sports physio and pay. The NHS physio is unlikely to be much help with a chronic intermittent condition

Ask the physio to tape your knee and then cycle on it, see if shifting the knee cap helps. They'll be able to tell if it is maltracking or whether the patella tendon or ITB is inflamed

Are you cycling out of the saddle at all, that can p,ace a lot of stress on the knee that sitting and spinning won't

 

[Milkfloat]

Mike at Bike Dynamics did a great job in relieving pain for me. My setup was already pretty good, so I was amazed at the difference that small changes made. In addition, he wrote some things down for me to ask my Chiropractor to help alleviate more pain. I assume you have looked at his information on knee pain? http://bikedynamics.co.uk/kneepain.htm

 

[1234567]

Hi again,
No I always cycle in the saddle. I have moved my positioning around in line with the advice offered on the bike dynamics website with no luck - this is why I was thinking of paying a visit, but am hesitant with a bike that I want to get rid of if I resolve the pain!

I have started ITB foam roller exercises, and will see what referral the doctor will give me on Friday.

 

[vickster]

If your GP won't refer for whatever reason, you can self refer to a sports physio if paying out of pocket. Physios like to reach their own diagnosis in my experience, the referral from a GP is really a box tick for insurance companies

 

[1234567]

will be paying out of pocket so ideally would like an NHS referral - but am happy to pay if not referred to resolve this!

 

[vickster]

From what I've heard,at least round here, you'll wait three months to see an NHS physio, have one or two 30 minute appointments with someone who may or may not be interested in cycling and be sent home with a sheet of exercises. No ultrasound, no deep tissue massage, no acupuncture, no taping, no tests etc. but you may be lucky

 

[KneesUp]

Have you considered using normal pedals with toe-clips, which would allow your foot to move around a lot more in the pedal?

 

[jefmcg]

Pay for a physio. You could get two or possibly 3 sessions for the price of a bike fit. It would be money better spent.

NHS physios are good, but you are going to be waiting a long time.

 

[Spike on a bike]

Have you considered using normal pedals with toe-clips, which would allow your foot to move around a lot more in the pedal?

I did read somewhere about some peoples knees hurting real bad in cleats too

 

[vickster]

For under £200, I got two cycling physio sessions and a full on bike assessment and that's SW London prices the insurance paid for the physio but I had to pay for the bike check

 

[1234567]

Great guys, sounds like the way to go... I'll see what physio is offered on Friday. If it's going to be a long time, or it isn't tailored to cycling then I will research local physios who specialise in knee/cycling injuries.

Bizarrely,the injury has always been present with out clipped in pedals. I actually bought SPD shoes and pedals recently to experiment in different positions, which I must say has reduced the problem a little.

Thanks again...