That dreaded knee pain.

[Rusty Nails]

I've been relatively lucky with knee problems over the years although I did have to give up running 20 years ago when I was 52 because of the pain. I returned to cycling ten years ago and have always felt it was good exercise for the knees. Three years ago I had to have an operation to reattach my right quadricep tendon after a fall. It healed well although I have had stiffness due to scar tissue since then.

The last month or so the stiffness has got worse and pain has started in my knee and down my shin after cycling. I went to the doc today and she suspects osteo arthritis and is sending me for an x-ray in a week, although this will not show up tendon or ligament damage.

I am still riding around 20 miles a ride three times a week but keeping to a fairly flat route at a gentle average pace of 12/13 mph as I worry that the climbing might be making it worse.

Am I doing the right thing by riding through the discomfort or should I take a complete break for a few weeks? What's the experience other knee-pain sufferers?

 

[Sharky]

I like the phrase "use it or lose it". But only you or your doctor can decide.

 

[gbb]

It's a quandary (use it or lose it) I suspect even the doctor cant nail down unless they have a baseline xrays to work from and then xrays in the future may highlight worsening problems based on your activity...or not. That's assuming it even works that way.
1 year ago my OA was so bad I was considering packing up cycling, just too painful and my knees were getting worse.
I've been on cod liver oil and Glucosamine sulphate for 1.5 yrs and around 9 months respectively and while I'm still stiff and sore in the morning...and less so now after a days work, I feel so much better than say 8 months ago. Back then I was researching for strong ger painkillers, now I'm hardly taking any.
I've commuted this year for the most part, no long rides and consciously tried to walk less, still do IRO 12k steps a day...but consciously tried to reduce the load on my joints shorter rides, less walking but still staying as active as reasonably possible. It seems to work for me.

3x20 mile steady rides wouldn't seem to bad to me tbf.

Do you have stiffness and pain in the morning, receding after around 1 hour once you're getting mobile, then soreness later in the day returning ?

 

[Rusty Nails]

It's a quandary (use it or lose it) I suspect even the doctor cant nail down unless they have a baseline xrays to work from and then xrays in the future may highlight worsening problems based on your activity...or not. That's assuming it even works that way.
1 year ago my OA was so bad I was considering packing up cycling, just too painful and my knees were getting worse.
I've been on cod liver oil and Glucosamine sulphate for 1.5 yrs and around 9 months respectively and while I'm still stiff and sore in the morning...and less so now after a days work, I feel so much better than say 8 months ago. Back then I was researching for strong ger painkillers, now I'm hardly taking any.
I've commuted this year for the most part, no long rides and consciously tried to walk less, still do IRO 12k steps a day...but consciously tried to reduce the load on my joints shorter rides, less walking but still staying as active as reasonably possible. It seems to work for me.

3x20 mile steady rides wouldn't seem to bad to me tbf.

Do you have stiffness and pain in the morning, receding after around 1 hour once you're getting mobile, then soreness later in the day returning ?

The pain is not too much in the morning but it does worsen as the day goes on. I am going to give the bike a miss until the end of the week to see if the knee improves then try a ride on Saturday to see what it's like after that.

Interesting comment about cod liver oil. I took it daily for more than 20 years and didn't have any knee problems, then for no particular reason stopped it a couple of years ago. I think I will start it again.

 

[vickster]

If you’re 72, it’d be extremely unusual to not have OA especially after an active lifestyle including running

Don’t stop exercising completely, try to walk, swim, maybe just halve your cycling distances. Ice the knee if swollen, heat the knee if stiff

 

[Globalti]

Do you use clip-in pedals?

 

[Rusty Nails]

Do you use clip-in pedals?

No. I use the old style toe-clips. I have set them up on all my bikes so my foot is in the right position. I have never used anything other than toe-clips so if it was a problem with my foot position it would have showed up well before now.

I went for a 20 mile, fairly flat ride this morning and kept in much lower gears throughout so I was doing more spinning. A bit sore afterwards but better than it has been. I think this will have to be the pattern for a while to see if the problem eases.

 

[vickster]

Have you had the X-ray yet?

 

[Rusty Nails]

Have you had the X-ray yet?

Appointment on Tuesday.

 

[vickster]

Appointment on Tuesday.

Orthopaedics? Or MSK?

 

[Rusty Nails]

Orthopaedics? Or MSK?

Not sure. It's a GP referral tothe general X-ray dept. I believe.