Knee Pain

[li10up]

I've searched the boards but haven't found what I'm looking for. I'm trying to find out which parts of my knee I've injured. A little background. I started riding in 2005. Like a lot of newbies I was mashing instead of spinning and in the first few weeks I felt a pain in the back of my left knee to the left of mid-line. My knee hasn't recovered since. Anyone have any ideas as to what I may have injured? When I sit with my legs propped up on an ottoman my left knee just hurts so bad that I have to put a pillow under it to keep it slightly bent.

Second issue: I now also have pain at the front of my left kneecap - almost at the very top of the kneecap. It doesn't feel like it's inside...feels more like on the surface. I can't figure out what this is either. I feel it in my right knee a bit too but not nearly like the left. I don't think it is chondromalacia because it feels like it's close to the surface. What might this be? I've read all the articles about adjusting seat and cleat position, float, etc. Which I'm doing in small increments. But I'm wondering what I've injured. It doesn't seem severe enough to go to my GP about. Any ideas?

[salsabike]

Take a look at this:

http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

[li10up]

I've looked at that...but I'm trying to find out what body parts I've injured. Thanks for responding though.

I'm pretty knowledgeable when it comes to anatomy but I can't figure out the sources of these aches/pains. I'm pretty sure the cause is from pushing too big a gear when starting out and bike geometry...

[han-grrl]

the best thing to do is go to a physiotherapist to diagnose your knee.

[li10up]

the best thing to do is go to a physiotherapist to diagnose your knee.

It's not bad enough for me to want to pay for a dr. visit. Just trying to figure out what I injured.

[DrBadger]

The fact that your "old" injury causes enough pain that you can't sit with your legs up on an ottoman without a pillow this long after you first hurt it makes it sound like it is time to see the Dr. I know that it is a pain to schedule the appointment and pay for it, but the longer you let things go, the more problems you are likely to have. It is even possible that the recent pain is due to slight changes you have made in you biking or walking in an attempt to prevent pain from the previous injury.

When I hurt my knee (torn ACL) I didn't have a choice but to go to the Dr and Physical therapy since I couldn't walk without my knee giving out. But even with much more minor issues the longer they are left the more damage you risk doing. Please think about making an appointment to see your GP and see about getting a referrel for a physical therapist (or if you don't have to worry about insurance requiring you to see your GP first, make an appointment with a PT that specializes in sports medicine)

Good luck!