WizardOfBoz

Agree. Docs have training and experience that PTs don't. (And, as I'm married to a PT, the PTs have training and experience that Docs don't). And there are specialist docs and PTs in many areas. In any case, a knee specialist doc is gonna have some insight that others don't, and may even know a specific PT that specializes in knees.

The right person(s) matter. A PT my wife steered me to got me some stretches that have (so far) allowed me to avoid back surgery). Other PTs (and a doc) didn't.

Also, the body is complicated. A friend from high school had extreme knee pain. Turned out that he'd had a broken hip (ski accident) in college, and the problem was that his hip had finally degraded. He had a hip replacement, and the knee pain went away.

Last, if the knee pain is solely from cycling, how are your shoes/cleats/pedals/crank set up? You may want to have this reviewed by a LBS.

BobbyG

If you drink coffee, switch to yerba mate tea. It has some anti-inflammatory properties for most people (as well as working as an anti-hystaminefor many, also).

You can google it.

I switched from coffee to Yerba Mate a year and a half ago as a way to cut down on acid-reflux. Long story short, my knees and back feel 20 years younger and my sinus problems are all but gone.

I make it in my coffee maker like coffee. It measures like coffee, scoop for sccop.

There are also tea bags to get you started.

May or may not work for you...but it works for me.

zjrog

My Orthopedic PA is a former PT with chiropractic experience... And my favorite PT is friends with my PA. Was a great relationship after my left knee replacement. And neat to see how they interacted...

Jicafold

This is going out on a limb for the OP. There are no studies to prove that yerba mate does anything other than maybe reducing obesity. It has however, been linked with causing cancer.

WizardOfBoz

That's an interesting arc from PT in chiro practice to PA.

My wife supervises a rehab clinic (very heavy-duty - stroke/neuro/vestibular in addition to the normal joint pain/replacement and other wonderful stuff). My son is fitness trainer who is pretty serious about it (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and I think also trainer, Crossfit level 2 trainer, and he managed trainer development for a very large gym). Very interesting to hear wife and son interact. Normally about getting ME into better shape...

Definitely finding the right people who interact correctly is a real plus.

BobbyG

True, but I am relating my own experience with it.

As far as cancer, there is yerba mate made with air-dried leaves and the more traditional smoke-dried leaves. Smoke drying imparts flavor like applewood smoked bacon, or mesquite grilled steak. But I have yet to find any smoke-dried yerba mate in any grocery or health food store by me in Colorado Springs.

Levels of oral and esophogeal canger in those drinking air-dried, non-smoked yerba is consistent with those present in regular drinkers of any hot beverages, such as tea, coffee and plain hot water. What's more, yerba mate should not be brewed with scalding-hot water as it destroys the leaves and some of the chemicals in them and leads to an unpleasant, bitter taste.

As far as smoked yerba mate, the problem is acrylamides which are present in any foods or products cooked or processed with high temperatures, such as grilled meat, fried potatos and roasted coffee.

So in two respects, water temperature and roasting temperature, coffee is potentially more carcinogenic than air-dried yerba mate.

For longer rides and hikes I drop a couple/three yerba mate tea bags in a water bottle and get the caffeine I want, as it brews better at room temperature than conventional teas.

My only issue is the taste. It's kind of a slightly grassy, green tea, Not as satisfying to me as coffee; but that may be because I drank coffee for 43 years.

Any way, as far as any health benefits, I went from one to two cases of acid reflux a month, to one to two a year. Same for heartburn. my seasonal allegies and triggered sinus allergies are way down, and I rarely wake up with a stiff back and stiff knees.

Again, your mileage may vary.

Jicafold

Then again, everything causes cancer except for room temperature distilled water and low-fat salt free Saltines. I'd like to try some of the smoke dried version you mentioned.

livedarklions

You mean low-fat Ines.

shine2000

you could try what kobe bryant did was Prp therapy for his knee i think its experimental

KraneXL

Not by a long shot. In fact, most of those in the medical community are quacks. They have a predetermined list of book codes that they follow to diagnose and treat all ailments, and can only regurgitate from that list of procedures. It may work for some, but others have no effect. When it didn't work for me, I went out on my own. Rather than give up on all physical activity as suggested.

My knee issue was debilitating and caused me no end of pain. They got so bad at one time that putting any pressure on them (i.e. sitting, standing up) was extremely difficult.

Today, thanks to my own regiment of rehabilitation my knee issues are virtually gone. I credit one exercise to that cure, leg extensions. For me, it was a miracle machine.

Destruktoren

Sucks, I'm experiencing the same kind of knee pain without any quick solutions
Good luck on your healing process!