Stiff Knee

I've been finding for the last couple of months that one of my knees wil get really stiff. At first it only happened when I had my leg really strait while I was sleeping, but now, even though it doesn't seem too much worse, it has been happening if I've been sitting the same way too long, standing stait legged for a while, that kind of thing.

I doesn't hurt, it just feels really stiff, and I have to go for a walk or work it out a little when I wake up. It doesn't hurt when I'm walking, biking, swimming or climbing.

My question is this: I have never had any knee injuries, and this is the first time I've had this happen. I've been doing a lot of mountain biking lately, going out 3 or 4 times a week for a few hours at a time. I also did a bit of hiking on a lot of those weekends (not long hikes, but I did have all my climbing gear on my back). Could this be related to mountain biking, should I ease off a little and concentrate on road riding a little more (taking a total break isn't going to happen, I go back to school in September so I want to get as much biking as I can before I hit the books again).

are you 40 yet?

Just kidding.

My knees are prone to stiff ness, and what works for me is to stretch. I focus on the quads and on my IT bands. Hiking especially causes them to tighten up on me.

IT band stretches

Irulan

Are you 50 yet?

I'm sorta' kidding... the inside "kidding" is, with age, comes the dreaded "A" word...actually, there are 3 "A" words.

Age-appropriate Athletic Arthritis...

I've made up the term, but I think it best describes the process. It is a place where all middle-aged "glam-jokes" eventually reside. Richer or poorer, we all come to worship the Tylenol bottle and ice at one point in our athletic careers. Can I get an amen?

To state the obvious: Arthritis is just an inflamation of a joint/joints. As you get older, you body becomes more sensitive to everyday"inflamations" until you notice it on a "cronic" or consistant basis. The body/joints gets better as the day wears on (usually an hour or so after you wake up stiff).

My "AAA" never bother me while doing any of my favorite activities, but, there are some mornings when I awaken to a nasty, ugly reality...I'm 51, I'm stiff, I hurt, but, guess what? The best thing I can do is get up, get going, and shake it off!
Then...go out, mix it up, do my best time, climb, sprint, do yoga.

Waking up stiff...It's just another cycle within the cycle and it's all part of the ride.

Actually, you may not be doing ANYTHING directly to your knees at all, but, then again, you may need to check your gear, shoes, ect. and make sure everything is in good shape for ride/hike. How often do you strength train your legs? Do you stretch before riding/hiking? Do you rest 48 hours after pummeling the body on a ride or hike? Think about the process and you may find the answer to your body's waking up stiff around a knee.

Terry

I am 22 years old so I'll assume that it's not an age thing, but I am going to try a different schedule for the next couple of weeks. Road riding instead of mountain biking (it rained over the weekend so the trails are wet anyways), and I am going to do a better streching routine. I'm also going to do a different type of climbing so that I'm not carrying as much gear while I'm hiking.

Terry - I think you're right, pay more attention to what I am doing and I should figure out what the problem is.

I know that hiking for me, especially with a pack is the absolute worst thing for my knees now. After our last backpack trip, I was in pain for almost a month afterwards. This is what prompted me to go see a sports podiatrist.... a gait specialist. He gave me an athletic shoe prescription, and the IT band stretching program.

Not that you need an orthotic, but... the type of shoe you are wearing, and how it controls rotation, supination, pronation and all that stuff can make a huge difference on how your knees track over your feet while moving around.

Just a thought...

Irulan

Quote:

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Originally posted by Irulan
I know that hiking for me, especially with a pack is the absolute worst thing for my knees now. After our last backpack trip, I was in pain for almost a month afterwards. This is what prompted me to go see a sports podiatrist.... a gait specialist. He gave me an athletic shoe prescription, and the IT band stretching program.

Not that you need an orthotic, but... the type of shoe you are wearing, and how it controls rotation, supination, pronation and all that stuff can make a huge difference on how your knees track over your feet while moving around.

Just a thought...

Irulan

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Now that you mention it.....
I'll admit, I've been wearing piss poor shoes when I've been going out hiking. I did however realize that the shoes were very bad and bought myself some trail runners. These I will be using for short approches and rock scrambling. I have big ol' hiking boots for long hikes, but they were just too warm and heavy for an approach to the crag.

Hmmm, I was thinking that it would have been the mountain biking, but I'll watch what I'm doing when I go hiking now too.

I also ride mountain bike and tend to want to giv'er all the time and I was developing sore/stiff knees as well.

It was suggested to me by an experienced "roadie" that I "spin" .... which is... put it in whatever gear that lets you achieve 85 to ?? "revolutions per minute". I have adapted this to mountain biking, trying to stay in the "easy gears" and "making little circles with my toes".... as fast as I can.

As I am not attached to my pedals... if I lose all resistance on the pedals... I do tend to "bounce" (which means my butt comes off the saddle) ... but I just shift into the next hardest gear then , just till there is a little more resistance to the pedals.

This took off all the down pressure off my knees and they stopped hurting immediately.

Anyway... I hope you figure out what is causing it... cause it sure sux to be sore.