Popping right knee

[gbunker]

I'm wondering if any of you have any advice about a knee issue I've just started experiencing. I commute by bike most days, about 5 miles in and 5 miles back home. There are some mild hills and I am often towing a heavy kid trailer.

Two weeks ago, I had some knee pain on a ride--up where the quad attaches at the knee. I didn't pay much attention at the time, but thinking back, I think it was the same day that I had to stop and adjust my seatpost because it had slipped down (it's a quick release, and I hadn't gotten it tight enough the last time I messed with it.)

I took a few days off from riding to rest the knee, and it's been painless since then. There is a dramatic POP! at the top of each pedal stroke now, though. It also pops when not riding, if I flex my knee. The pop is coming from the upper outside corner of my kneecap, and it feels like the ligament there snaps sideways when it happens.

Is this something that will go away on its own, possibly with rest and ibuprofen? I am reluctant to seek treatment for something painless, but also don't want to mess around if I continuing to ride is going to make things worse.

If it makes any difference, I have been riding my bad-weather bike- a Kona Dew Deluxe, and I'm pretty sure I have the seat up high enough. My thigh muscles are pretty strong, and I tend to pedal slower and in a higher gear than I probably should. I think this might have contributed to the problem.

Thanks for any advice!

Gillian

Thanks for

[Abarnes]

Good that you caught the seatpost had slipped - run a band of electrical tape around it at the top of the seattube so you notice it right away.

You may still have some inflammation in the area, with an increase of sinovial fluid as a response to the injury. The popping sound when you bend the knee is displacement of the fluid and gases in and around the joint.

If you're not experiencing pain all good - but no reason not to do gentle massage of the tissue in the area to help flush toxins.

Also, you mention riding in hills and with a trailer - consider riding one gear lower as well as remembering to downshift before coming to a stop. Starting up again in a lower gear reduces the sheer force on the knees.

[Sky King]

I agree with the gearing advice, do the knee a favor and use the gears :) if you can.

[Spasibasong]

My right knee has an interesting series of pops it used to go through when I'd ride, pop pop pop POP and then it would be done for a while - like popping a knuckle. It was annoying because I'd have to get it to POP or it was distracting. It sounds very similar and I would agree it has to do with seat height, at the right height my knee does NOT pop. It's a very subtle difference, as well, maybe two millimeters!

[Susan Otcenas]

Gbunker - sounds like what my IT band does.

[westtexas]

Gbunker - sounds like what my IT band does.

+1 to this.

Symptoms of my left knee right before it began to hurt a lot and I entered into PT for 2 months.

There are tons of good IT band stretches, I highly recommend them :)