Cycling with a knee injury
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05-20-21, 08:05 PM
#27
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Ive started wearing my steel toes when im cycling (im a wannabe shirtless keith) but you don't have to believe me
https://citsb.com/2017/03/18/let-it-...irtless-keith/
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05-20-21, 08:29 PM
#28
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I feel for ya, man. Knee injuries suck. I've been out most of this year with bursitis, tendonitis, and a torn meniscus in my left knee. Can't even run across the street. I finally got an MRI done and I'm going to the Orthopedic Surgeon next Tuesday.
Hoping the Dr. can give me some good news - I'd like to get back on the bike
Hoping the Dr. can give me some good news - I'd like to get back on the bike
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05-21-21, 09:17 AM
#29
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I was drinking with some homeless guys last night and one of them told me that my seat was to high and im hyperextending my knee on every stroke. I of course have a high seat to really lay down that power, but maybe he is right. Gonna go check in at a LBS and see what they have to say
05-22-21, 03:04 PM
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If you can find a sports medicine doctor, preferably one familiar with cycling, you will get better advice than you get from the average general practitioner or from the internet. When I was running (1000-1500 miles a year), I had a serious pain caused by overpronation. When I told a GP, he said, well, just stop running. A sports doc diagnosed the problem, prescribed custom orthotics, and I was back to painless running in a couple of weeks.
05-23-21, 06:50 AM
#32
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Definitely consult a sports doctor, you can’t measure the effort, for you it’s different for another it’s different and if I were you , I’d take sometime off to let it heal completely
05-24-21, 02:47 AM
#34
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I am not a doctor, but treated lots of leg injuries as an Army medic. I have also suffered some knee (and other injuries) over the years. A torn ligament can take quite a lot longer to heal than you might expect, and it heals best when it is left alone, that is, not flexed. Cycling is never a remedy for knee injuries, though with certain injuries you can cycle more easily that you can walk or run, I did a number on my left knee during ski season this year, for 4 weeks I had a severe limp, which more or less went away after 6 weeks. But flexing my knee (such as when having to sit on or get off the floor, which happens a lot here in Japan) was quite painful. Four months later I am walking, running, and cycling as normal, but I have to be very careful not to overextend my knee, or a I get a very painful reminder that it is not fully healed yet.
Getting back into shape after letting your knee heal will take some time. Take it slow and gradual, your muscles and tendons will appreciate it.
Getting back into shape after letting your knee heal will take some time. Take it slow and gradual, your muscles and tendons will appreciate it.
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05-24-21, 07:12 PM
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I am not a doctor, but treated lots of leg injuries as an Army medic. I have also suffered some knee (and other injuries) over the years. A torn ligament can take quite a lot longer to heal than you might expect, and it heals best when it is left alone, that is, not flexed. Cycling is never a remedy for knee injuries, though with certain injuries you can cycle more easily that you can walk or run, I did a number on my left knee during ski season this year, for 4 weeks I had a severe limp, which more or less went away after 6 weeks. But flexing my knee (such as when having to sit on or get off the floor, which happens a lot here in Japan) was quite painful. Four months later I am walking, running, and cycling as normal, but I have to be very careful not to overextend my knee, or a I get a very painful reminder that it is not fully healed yet.
Getting back into shape after letting your knee heal will take some time. Take it slow and gradual, your muscles and tendons will appreciate it.
Getting back into shape after letting your knee heal will take some time. Take it slow and gradual, your muscles and tendons will appreciate it.
05-24-21, 09:44 PM
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I put myself in a bad position, I was riding at night without lights, drunk, on the sidewalk at a decent clip. A car pulled up to turn, and I saw that my line was going to close soon so I accelerated instead of slowing down, expecting him to look both ways before turning. I misjudged the situation and he hit me when I was going like 17 mph. He was super freaked out and apologetic and I felt really bad for him, like yeah he should have looked but I never should have been there. Salty cause my bike needs work, I spilled my Chinese food, and my knee hurts, but I kinda deserved it if Im gonna be honest
End of story, is that I didn't follow my rule #1, which is ALWAYS yield to traffic. Instead of opted for rule #2 which is that you have to commit. I need to add a rule #3 which is don't ride drunk. Im used to riding drunk and can handle my bike fine, but recently i've been watching hotline videos of sweet messengers riding like maniacs through traffic and now Im just way too spicy after ive been drinking.
Also on that road with the "bike lane" that you shared, I could see why you wouldnt want to merge with traffic. I don't like merging with traffic that is going 20+ mph faster than me, feels unsafe, and you said they were fast on that road.
End of story, is that I didn't follow my rule #1, which is ALWAYS yield to traffic. Instead of opted for rule #2 which is that you have to commit. I need to add a rule #3 which is don't ride drunk. Im used to riding drunk and can handle my bike fine, but recently i've been watching hotline videos of sweet messengers riding like maniacs through traffic and now Im just way too spicy after ive been drinking.
Also on that road with the "bike lane" that you shared, I could see why you wouldnt want to merge with traffic. I don't like merging with traffic that is going 20+ mph faster than me, feels unsafe, and you said they were fast on that road.
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05-24-21, 11:50 PM
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The doc was pretty young and she admitted that she isn’t the most experienced in physical exams, but she said since I could “duck walk” while squatting im probably OK and don’t need an mri.
also the car turned into me slowly while I was going like 17 mph and all the momentum went into my peddle (and knee I guess) and knocked me off the bike. The peddle is toast
also the car turned into me slowly while I was going like 17 mph and all the momentum went into my peddle (and knee I guess) and knocked me off the bike. The peddle is toast
05-25-21, 06:14 AM
#41
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If your knee is painful, especially if you are trying to sleep, take 2 Excedrin, the kind which contains aspirin, ibuprofen, and caffeine. This is the most effective non-prescription pain medication you can easily find, and if it doesn't eliminate the pain, it will at least make it more endurable.
05-25-21, 10:59 AM
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Any doc who would have you squat and duck walk is a quack. No pun intended. If you had a small meniscus tear, vou just mught have enlarged it, worsening your therapy needed and your recovery. Go to the highest level MD you can (sports medicine Orthopedist), get a thorough and often diagnostic hands on exam and probably the definitive mri. Do NOT squat and further stress your knee joint.
05-25-21, 11:01 AM
#43
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Lowering the seat will increase the amount of bend (and flex) in your knee, which can put more tension on the tendon, which is not a good thing. You should try to avoid riding if you can, much as it may annoy you. You run the risk of either prolonging your recovery time, meaning it will take longer to heal, or you can make your injury worse. In the past I have thought that exercising with such an injury might help it heal more quickly, but I found out the hard way that it does not. Pay a visit to your local Walgreens, and get one of those Velcro knee braces, the kind with the plastic reinforcements on each side, you should be able to find one your size. They cost about $30, but are worth every penny. Put it on, and leave it on, you can wear pants over it. The brace will allow you to walk normally, but prevent you from overextending your knee either way, and make help you heal more quickly. Put on and remove your pants slowly so as not to bend your knee too much. If it is not too uncomfortable, wear the brace while you sleep, it will prevent you from moving your knee the wrong way in your sleep.
If your knee is painful, especially if you are trying to sleep, take 2 Excedrin, the kind which contains aspirin, ibuprofen, and caffeine. This is the most effective non-prescription pain medication you can easily find, and if it doesn't eliminate the pain, it will at least make it more endurable.
If your knee is painful, especially if you are trying to sleep, take 2 Excedrin, the kind which contains aspirin, ibuprofen, and caffeine. This is the most effective non-prescription pain medication you can easily find, and if it doesn't eliminate the pain, it will at least make it more endurable.
05-25-21, 12:01 PM
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Good luck. Take care and have it properly examined. Telling you it would take 4 weeks with no specific diagnosis is a big red flag also
05-25-21, 03:39 PM
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The chief reasons for homelessness are mental illness and drugs (both legal and illegal ) - plus combinations of the 2
06-23-21, 10:53 PM
#46
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I actually managed to get in to see an Orthopedic Surgeon after the last prick of a Dr. canceled on me the day before my appointment after waiting two months to get in.
Dr. said he couldn't really use my MRI because all of the metal in my tib/fib skewed the image.
He decided to give me a Cortisone injection to see if it might help before deciding to take any further action. His PA pulled out a 3" needle and subsequently buried the thing up to the syringe, straight in to the middle of my left knee. I have to say, I was blow away by the fact that I didn't feel a thing. I watched the needle go all the way in but I felt nothing until the pressure began to build up.
It's now been about 3 weeks and I've been on the bike 5 or 6 times, slowly easing my way back. I had a little pain after the first couple of rides but it quickly subsided. My last couple of rides I averaged about 230W but I held a good 400W for 5 min just to see how it felt and I'm in no real pain at all.
It may not work for the OP but it's definitely worth talking to your Dr. about. I'm not sure how long it will last but the Dr. said he'll give me one more shot before resorting to surgery.
Dr. said he couldn't really use my MRI because all of the metal in my tib/fib skewed the image.
He decided to give me a Cortisone injection to see if it might help before deciding to take any further action. His PA pulled out a 3" needle and subsequently buried the thing up to the syringe, straight in to the middle of my left knee. I have to say, I was blow away by the fact that I didn't feel a thing. I watched the needle go all the way in but I felt nothing until the pressure began to build up.
It's now been about 3 weeks and I've been on the bike 5 or 6 times, slowly easing my way back. I had a little pain after the first couple of rides but it quickly subsided. My last couple of rides I averaged about 230W but I held a good 400W for 5 min just to see how it felt and I'm in no real pain at all.
It may not work for the OP but it's definitely worth talking to your Dr. about. I'm not sure how long it will last but the Dr. said he'll give me one more shot before resorting to surgery.
