Knee problems

[Vorpal]

Sorry to hear you're anxious about all this. I can understand the feeling.

Have you talked to your GP about your worries (as well as the knee problem)? If it's not painful, it might be a long while before it's a problem. And if it's critical to your work, you GP might be more willing to refer you physio therapy, or something. On the other hand, "always feels as though I am about to get cramp in it at any moment , its an odd feeling" doesn't sound like arthritis. Arthritis is usually just an ache that feels like it's right down in the bones. Muscular aches can be an effect of arthritis, I wouldn't expect an 'almost cramp' kind of feeling to be diagnosed as arthritis.

Have another chat with your GP about it. I'm not convinced that it's properly diagnosed. Good luck!

p.s. go for a ride. It'll cheer you up

[LollyKat]

+1

I would also look out for Vivian Grisogno's books, Knee Health and/or The Knee: Problems and Prevention - A Self-help Guide. They offer various exercises which for example help to keep muscle groups balanced and ensure that the kneecap is tracking correctly.

I think her work has been mentioned already on this thread. I have the first book and have found it a huge help. Both are out of print, I think, but are available second-hand from Amazon.

[HoratioWondersocks]

Vorpal
LollyKat

Thank you both for your replies.
I do realize that there are lots of people out there who have all sorts of dreadful and possibly life threatening illnesses , and who would probably wish all they had was a possible case of knee arthritis ,but we can't all be stoic and heroic in the face of illness .I do apologize if I have wussed it up a bit though.
These helpful forum posts mean a lot ,and just talking (albeit virtually ) about it helps in itself.
Cyclists are a good bunch.
Cheers Andrew

[reohn2]

As Vorpal has said I'd go back to my GP,I'd also ask to be refered to a specialist.

[531colin]

Andrew

A "grumbly" knee is not necessarily anything serious at all. In the time it takes to post on the forum you could have done a set of stretches; stretching every day may be all you need to do to become pain free. Wouldn't that make you feel better?
Do you want help to find information about stretching on the internet?

[mashergirl]

I have osteoarthritis in both my knee and hip,there are days when leaving the house is not an option,walking just a few meters can cause me extreme pain but riding miles on my recumbent trike causes very little discomfort at all .

I often get sarcastic remarks from people who cannot understand how I can barely walk yet still ride, but my consultant at the pain clinic has advised me to ride as often as possible as he has noticed a significant improvement when I ride on a regular basis ,it can take me a while to actually get on and off the trike but once I am pedalling its heaven

So if you find that riding a regular bike is no longer for you try the recumbent option

[JClarkson]

i would highly reccomend Glocosamine for knee troubles

[JohnW]

i would highly reccomend Glocosamine for knee troubles

Would you like to expand on that?

[PDQ]

Just another point that as far as I can see nobody has mentioned. Cadence; it's better for the knees and joints in general if you spin fast rather than push push slowly. Aim for at least 60 rpm and be prepared to go a lot quicker.May actually be positively beneficial for your joints as the loading of the surfaces is less and the lubricants get wizzed in there more. Just IMHO and I have found it to be so.

[ndmbike]

I'm recovering after ACL reconstruction revision surgery 8 weeks ago.
The surgeon said there was 'wear and tear' in the knee. Two years ago he had shaved the articular cartilage and had removed a bit of the meniscus.
The physios say that developing knee strength is really important to protect the knee. So lots of exercises on a wobble board and stability discs.
Cycling and swimming seem to be the best things for my knee health. I've given up on running and skiing.
Also I've read that cycling (but not mashing gears) is really good because it flushes the synovial fluid around the knee capsule. Good for nourishing the cartilage and ligaments and healing (as there's only a poor blood supply to many parts).
I also try to wander round the house barefoot. It helps develop a habit of stepping lightly. I'd recommend Alexander technique lessons.

Went out for a very short ride on the flat yesterday and after could certainly feel the 'wear and tear'. Lots of paranoia about bones grinding together followed!

Reading this forum has brought home to me how daft I am being and people with much worse injuries still do a huge amount. Thanks for all the info. I'm off now to source some fish oil!

[Karen Sutton]

I have problems with my left knee. Arthritis and fluid build up due to the joint lining being too thick. About ten years ago I had an arthroscopy and synovectomy via keyhole surgery. I was advised to get it moving again by using an exercise bike 3 weeks after surgery. The physio got me on a stationery bike first and I carried it on at home. 5 weeks after the surgery I was out with the CTC group on Sundays again.

I find my knee goes stiff and painful if I don't ride my bike at least once a week.

I have very low gears on my touring bike (lowest is 17"). My knee is fine if I don't push high gears. If a hill is so steep that I am riding at less than walking pace I get off and walk.

I know that I will have to have the operation repeated at some point as the joint lining regrows. Eventually I will probably have a knee replacement but I'm not old enough to be allowed one yet.

[mattsccm]

Both my knees are a bit "iffy" but one is screwed. After a good old scrape around inside I was left with a knoee that works fine most of the time, doesn't like running at all and is incredibly tender when knocked. Long hill walks can be very uncomfortable but I forget about that by the time the next walk comes a round.
What I must say is that the cadence issue is not univerally correct. Spinning gives me so much grief and I am convinced that several years , most on the MTB was the straw that broke the (admitedly totally knackered) camels back. Much of my riding over the last few years has been over undualting gravel tracks on a single speed cyclo cros bike. 42/18 gearing. Labouring up the long drags was no problem but spinning down them was so painful. Just yesterday When out with a mate on the road bike and comparing aches and pains I flicked up the block a couple of sprockets to just see if my conversation was making sense. Within a minute or two the higher cadence, about 60 ish made my knees so sore. Slowing the cadence down soon allowed things to settle. I believe that the slower constant pressure helps. Its how many times my knee bends that makes it hurt not how ahrd the load.
I agree that this may not be the case with every one but don't take it for gospel that a higher cadence creates less load and less pain.
Of course I like to tell myself that it was my training in my late teens, 30 years ago, that trained my legs not to spin. a a straigt through 13/17 block on a 42/52 was enough for club runs and light touring! More likely being 3 stone lighter and young and stupid.

[timmyhiggy]

Definitely get it checked out.
I did a 10 mile running event last october and really screwed my knee up to the point I couldn't even walk for more than a few minutes without it hurting. The pain itself wasn't bad, I could phase it out and carry on if I wanted, but the next day it would hurt from doing nothing. Eventually I went to the GP, they referred me to a physio (free on NHS and you just have to fill out the self referral form btw, I'd recommend trying it) and they said its cos I have a slightly flatter left foot than right, coupled with a tendency to have my knees slightly too close together, so the knee joint isn't quite in its happiest alignment. A couple of months later and whilst its still pretty crap for walking, I can cycle for a couple of hours on the flat or a few miles on a git of a hill.

Basically, try a physio, it can be free and they are specialists in this kind of stuff. Provided you have already checked things like your riding position, exercise routine etc.

[JClarkson]

i would highly reccomend Glocosamine for knee troubles

Would you like to expand on that?

i found it works wonders for aching joints, there`s alot more technical infomation on here that would explain in alot more detail, great price aswell

http://www.healthspan.co.uk/glucosamine ... -c142.aspx

[ndmbike]

Glucosamine review info from the Cochrane Collaboration

http://www.cochrane.org/search/site/glu ... 20condroit