During June, I injured my knee while WORKING on my bike. I was squatting while replacing the brake pads, and didn't realize my knee was getting sore. After three weeksof easting my knee, my knee felt better, and I attended Portland's Annual Waterfront Blues Festival. While steppng off the bus on the way home, I reinjured it. This time, I couldn't even leave the house for three or four days, due to pain.

Finally, I saw a PT, and about 80 to 90 % of the pain is gone. Friday, I had a short errand to run, and I finally rode my bike for the first time since reconditioning it back in June. It is a Schwinn ten speed from the 80's and I wouldn't use gears 5-10 at all. But even coasting in third gear was very liberating, and I think it was still better than walking.

Although in some ways cycling is easier on joints than walking, it took me this long to feel ready to ride again. I was mostly afraid of the shock of hitting a small bump, or a bad gear change setting back my knee again. My PT told me that I ought to follow my feelings, because my instincts might be telling me something. (I thought that I was just being lazy.)

My longest walk has probably been no more than a mile or two, but I think that cycling will be easier to condition myself with, now that I am not worried about every little bump and rattle sending me back to ice my knee.

Hurray!
Mary