KC8QVO

Thank you for the story. I have never raced, but I have similarly messed up one knee and what you describe with the exercises was pretty much my physical therapy regiment for several months after I messed things up.

It was my 1st year of heavier mileage riding. Year 1 I did 1000 miles and year 2 I did 1500 (I know, not much compared to a lot of riders but it was a good amount for me). I rode on the stock platform pedals on my bike with tennis shoes - no added clips. I had done my first century ride late in the Fall - 116 miles plus a day hike in the middle of a couple miles or so. I was really sore and worn out from that ride for quite a while. I didn't have any knee trouble, per se, just a lot of soreness in my rear end and muscles.

Once I recovered, supposedly, from the big ride I kept working towards my annual goal. I didn't have many rides/miles left. The first time I jumped on the bike after the big ride I made it a few miles and then had excruciating pain in my left knee. I had never felt pain like that before and when it happened I just about fell off the bike.

Not knowing what it was and what was going on, of course I stopped, I took a couple minutes to asses myself. The pain wasn't constant and I had mobility in my leg, nothing was binding... so I walked it off and rode home, nursing the knee a bit of course.

I knew right when that first incident happened that I had to get it checked out, but I didn't want to stop my mileage count until I hit my goal. So, foolishly, I pressed on for a few more lower mileage rides. I don't have my data anymore from those earlier years, but I want to say after my century ride I was under 100 miles left for my goal. So the lower mileage rides were to finish out that last (under) 100 miles. That brought us in to the holiday season. At the time I was living out-of-state and was going to be back home for a while so I still put off getting my knee checked out.

Well, I made it all the way to that next January and finally went to get my knee checked out after things were getting worse. I started at an urgent care where they took x-rays, which didn't show soft tissue. However, what the x-rays did show was the alignment of my kneecaps in the range of motion of my legs bending (they had me crouch down also - I distinctly recall that because I was in excruciating pain in the position they wanted me to be in for the x-ray).

What that led to was a long, rough time with physical therapy - with pretty much a model of the above exercises and stretches - plus the addition of the therapists trying to supposedly "break up" scar tissue under my kneecap. To do so they used a proverbial "giant spoon" to get under my kneecap. That was as much, or more, excruciating than my intense pain when cycling and literally brought me to tears every time they did it. But I wanted to get better so I hammered through what ever course they had outlined. And it helped.

Knowing what I know now, and what I went through - I had the luxury of doing my rides and retiring at home that night, without carrying on the next day. If I could have gone back and do things over again - for one, in my case, I would have had clipless pedals from the start. Second - at the first sign of major pain I would have had things checked out. I presume I would have been doing physical therapy right then and there in much the same path, however I wouldn't have caused as much damage carrying on for another 3 months.

With that having been said - as hard of a pill as it is to swallow (the trip you had planned and your pride) - I agree. You need to bail out.

If you are on the forum with a physical challenge that has hit, trying to get advice from us, and wondering if you can find a way through and continue - if you didn't think it was a huge issue you would likely not be on here asking for advice. So my advice is to swallow the "pill" and call for a ride.

That all having been said -

As I sit here and write this post I feel my left knee. Every time I walk up and down steps I feel my left knee. And I still would get on the bike and ride 50+ miles and perhaps the next day after I'd ride again. It is something I am aware of and have been able to manage fairly well. Its been 4 years for me.

What helps me is to "roll" my IT bands. I use a foam roller and lay on my side rolling across the foam roller between my knee and hip, both sides, 10 reps before and 10 reps after each ride - each leg.

The prior 2 years I did no rolling at all, however I also was not riding much at all. Last year I rode about 600 miles and this year I am already there. Along with the miles is needing to manage my knee.

So far I am OK. However, I am learning as I go. I have plans to do some longer tours like what you are doing - several days to a week or more. In order for me to be able to reason being able to ride that much I need to train and and condition myself. Just as the end of last year and the first part of this year have been - in that period of conditioning I need to find where my limits are and when I find them learn how to work with them. Case-in-point - the foam rolling of my IT bands. That is the #1 thing that has assisted me when the going got a bit tough. I knew I was at a limit that needed some help and tried the rolling again. That is what got me able to function.

That isn't to say that foam rolling will help everyone. Leg anatomy is complex and everyone is built a bit differently. For example, I am the least flexible person on the planet - and perhaps a contributing factor to my knee pain, and other issues (hips when I backpack). So what helps me may not be the best cure for you. However, it is worth a shot.

If you research rolling IT bands you are likely to find a lot (most, if not all) of articles saying how bad it is in that it weakens the lateral stability of your knees. Though this is somewhat true, it is pertaining to runners, not cyclists. When your legs are working the motion of the crank lateral stability should be a non-issue.

Your mileage (no pun intended) may vary.

Moral of my post - until you have your pain checked out and understand it (checked out by someone qualified - start with your general doc then see what his recommendation is - whether they want to do any imaging or just send you to PT to try that before ordering images - your doc will guide) - don't ruin yourself trying to hang on to your trip.

You could try the stretches already mentioned. Also throw in there rolling your IT bands. Since you likely don't have access to a foam roller on your trip - stop at a store and get a large metal can of soup and substitute the soup can (full, don't empty it first) as the roller.

Best of luck to you and do your best to take care of yourself. I'm not the only one on the forums that is making do with "issues", there are a lot of us. Hands, hips, knees, back... I got it all goin' on here - but I manage it. I'll reiterate what has already been said - by others and from myself - don't hurt yourself and cause more damage. Your short-term gain of the pride in continuing on won't pay off if you cause permanent damage.