knee pain - only when I spin.

[Dave_C]

Hi,

This is a bit of a small problem, and is usually answered with, "well don't do it then'.

Over the weekend I rode the New Border Raid, 600km Audax. I normally only ride one 400 and one 600 Audax a year. It takes me around 200km to warm up so that I can spin fast without it feeling like I'm going to shake myself off the bike.

My problem is after I spin I then feel discomfort around or under my patella (knee bone). Whilst cycling I'm fine but when I stop I feel it in my knee. It goes away after around 12 hours or rest, usually as I don't ride a bike for a few days afterwards.

Over the weekend I tried not to spin too much, but then ended up pushing larger gears when climbing. I climb sat down. At the end of the 600 on Sunday I think I had a slight bit of water on my knee, or some swelling at least - but only mildly, but it was not there Monday morning.

I have been self diagnosing (yes sorry) and wondered if I could tape my knee to hold the knee bone in place, as I wondered if spinning fast over prolonged periods, like 4 hours, was bad for the knee in the long run?

Who (not a specific person - but a specialist) should I speak to about this. I'm conscious that if I go to a local physio, they may know have knees as a specialism and I'll be paying for poor treatment which might not work.

Cheers, Dave C

[BrianI]

I got good help when i gubbed my knee a few years ago from Philip Yeates physio in Dunfermline. You do have to pay per session. Certainly worth while if cost isn't an issue rather than waiting on nhs physio.

[T42]

May be a meniscus problem. See doc before fizzy IMO.

[DuncanM]

If the pain is under the patella and you can cause it by grinding or by riding longer rides, it might be that your knee is not tracking correctly as your quads overpower your VMO. Taping can help the kneecap tracking, but you need to know what you are doing, so I would advise getting a physio show you how.
If you look at your local physio websites, you maybe be able to find one that specialises in knee issues, or at least one that works with sports teams (because people from other sports often have similar issues).

[Samuel D]

If the pain is under the patella and you can cause it by grinding or by riding longer rides, it might be that your knee is not tracking correctly as your quads overpower your VMO.

If this is the case, then this …

I climb sat down.

… aggravates the problem. The final extension of the leg when standing engages the vastus medialis oblique, strengthens it over time, and keeps everything tracking properly. I’m no physio, but standing at least some of the time while climbing obviously improves a host of little niggles I have on the bike on long rides (long by my standards). My body feels better from head to toe when I mix standing and sitting. Try it!