Knee Pain

[Eden]

I used to have knee pain on my old bike - both behind the knee and what felt like under the bottom of the knee cap.

It was from two things for me (back of knee pain) - weak hamstrings, this one I fixed by doing very light weights on the leg machine at the gym (I cant recall what it is called) that you lie on your stomach with the weights on the backs of your legs bend at the knee towards your butt. I really really had to be careful to not agravate it doing this. I started out with no weight, just the plate and worked up over about a month - but still not with much weight. I think I may have topped out at 30 lbs or less.

The other thing that caused (under knee cap pain) it was a bike that was too long. It probably had cranks that were too long too, but the stetched out position meant I wasn't using my thigh muscles the way I should have been and it was really stressing my knees.

The only thing that used to make them feel better for me was support - wrapping them up in ace bandages, but now that I have a bike that fits and I've paid attention and strenghtened those hammies I don't get any more knee pain at all.

[li10up]

I guess I should ask my GP about it. But I'm being treated for back pain/sciatica and don't want my GP to think I'm a hypochondriac either. It took me years to convience him that I didn't just have "allergies". Finally another doc discovered I had a deviated septum. Had surgery for it and I'm much improved but still not as good as I'd like. Took me 9 years to get him to send me to the pain clinic to get the injections. Hmmm, maybe I should start asking about the knee now....maybe he'll take me seriously in a couple of years.

[DeniseGoldberg]

... It took me years to convience him that I didn't just have "allergies". Finally another doc discovered I had a deviated septum. Had surgery for it and I'm much improved but still not as good as I'd like. Took me 9 years to get him to send me to the pain clinic to get the injections. Hmmm, maybe I should start asking about the knee now....maybe he'll take me seriously in a couple of years.

And you're still going to this doctor? It shouldn't take this long for him to listen to your complaints and treat your problems. If it were me I'd be searching for a new doc.

--- Denise

[7rider]

Can you go directly to an orthopedic surgeon directly without a referral from you primary care provider?
An orthopod might be able to give a better diagnosis than your GP.

[li10up]

I'm in an HMO - it's a pain to try to change your primary care physician and you can't see anyone without a referral.

[VeloVT]

I say go to the doctor too...

But as far as the front/top of knee pain is concerned... I've found that I get pain in this location when my saddle is positioned too far forward. It's amazing, I rode 30 miles once with it bothering me (well, really hurting), my boyfriend noticed I was favoring one knee a little (knee was starting to rotate in towards the toptube when normally it tracks quite straight). I got off the bike, moved the saddle back 1/4 of an inch, and rode another ten miles with no pain whatsoever. I've had this happen since (I've changed saddles a few times recently and it always seems to take me a bit of time to get the position on a new one right), it's amazing to me, that I could ride for miles in pain (which you'd think would inflame whatever it's bothering), make a small adjustment, and have the pain go away without a trace for miles more.

Of course you may be having another issue entirely -- but it's worth checking your saddle position.

Good luck!

[li10up]

Thanks liza. I'm going to move the saddle back a bit and see if that helps. I already feel too stretched out but I'll see how it goes.