# Knee/calf strain - what have I done



## gillelive (4 Feb 2011)

I posted soemthing similar to this in the general section but thought I would add it to the health section, any advice appreciated.

Last week I knackered the back of my right Knee and calf when cycling, not exactly sure how I did it as I didn't feel anything go or I didn't get a sudden pain. In fact I wasn't in pain, more of a pulling sensation at the top of my calf and behind my knee. I took 5 days off from cycling and all seemed well until my ride yesterday. On the way to work both knees and thighs suffered shooting pains which eased off after a few miles but the journey home was awful, my right calf was buggered again and I had to cycle about 7 miles using mainly one leg at about 5mph (usually ave 13-14mph), the wind was also horrific - not the most enjoyable jouney! Does anyone know what I may have pulled? Is it calf muscle, hamstring or something else? I can bend my knee with no problems and there is no pain but behind the knee and at the top of the calf it feels really tense and as I said it's as if something is pulling or being stretched.

I am sure I have my bike set up right, I have adjusted the saddle, it's now pointing up slightly which did seem to improve things on the journey in yesterday but I guess I need to see how it goes on a few longer rides.

I am 5'11' and have followed all the guidance I can find for setting the saddle height (inc. plumb line), however, although I usually feel comfortable riding I am now thinking about lowering the saddle slightly. I am hoping if I do this it may help with pains I have been experiencing.


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## HLaB (4 Feb 2011)

Gill have you changed your bike to clipless lately, that can cause a stretching of the calf if your saddle is too high; it can also cause knee pain if they are wrongly set up. I've got two bikes (with clipless) set up identically or so I thought; then I started to get strain similar to what you describe (calf and behind the knee). Then I realised the cranks on bike were 175mm (the other was 172.5mm). I moved the saddle on the, 175mm bike down by 2.5mm and forward by 2.5mm and the pain went away.


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## gillelive (4 Feb 2011)

No I am not clippless, just using the dmrs shown in the pic. As soon as my leg improves I am going to drop the saddle a few mms at a time until hopefully I get the right position.


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## HLaB (4 Feb 2011)

I didn't think you were; I m unsure if the same injury can be done without them but it worth trying as you are doing putting the saddle down by a few mm, you might also try putting it forward by few mm too; good luck!

PS my calf never improved till I did this then it sorted its self out in the space of a few days; I think the rotation at the correct height massages things.


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## cyberknight (6 Feb 2011)

Kops is only a guideline ( no pun intended ) , along with the ball of feet on the crank.

I used to have my cleats set via that and always got calf cramp until i moved the cleats back to the rear hole on the shoe ( effectively moving my foot further forward ) and that helped me to solve my problem.

It pays to play around till you get the sweet spot and i hope your better soon!


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## 515mm (7 Feb 2011)

You may want to think about seeing a phisiotherapist. He/she will be able to tell you if you have a muscle imbalance or tightness causing a knock-on effect. 

A pal of mine (Fairweather) had a dreadful time with one of his knees 'till the phisio diagnosed an extremely tight ITB, quads and hamstrings. This was pulling him over to one side. Sorted now - and he can get much lower on his TT bike (more aerodynamic) as a result.


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## gillelive (13 Feb 2011)

515mm said:


> You may want to think about seeing a phisiotherapist. He/she will be able to tell you if you have a muscle imbalance or tightness causing a knock-on effect.
> 
> A pal of mine (Fairweather) had a dreadful time with one of his knees 'till the phisio diagnosed an extremely tight ITB, quads and hamstrings. This was pulling him over to one side. Sorted now - and he can get much lower on his TT bike (more aerodynamic) as a result.



thanks for the advice, still not back on the bike and off to the physio tomorrow, hopefully i will find out what the problem is soon.......

sods law really, the last couple of weekends around here have been fairly decent weather wise (apart from today) and would have been ideal for a good run, i want to get up to about 35 miles but will have to wait a bit longer now, bloody legs, they are only 41 yrs young but i feel like i have the legs of a 90 yr old at the moment!!


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## JonnyBlade (13 Feb 2011)

If you were a runner I would suggest Achilles which goes from the heal right through to the calves and often manifests as pain behind the knee


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## gillelive (16 Feb 2011)

gillelive said:


> thanks for the advice, still not back on the bike and off to the physio tomorrow, hopefully i will find out what the problem is soon.......
> 
> sods law really, the last couple of weekends around here have been fairly decent weather wise (apart from today) and would have been ideal for a good run, i want to get up to about 35 miles but will have to wait a bit longer now, bloody legs, they are only 41 yrs young but i feel like i have the legs of a 90 yr old at the moment!!



i saw a physio earlier this week and i find that i am not as flexible as i thought! i have short hamstrings and a stiff lower back to name just a couple of points that came up, it looks like the bike is not my problem it has just shown up some longstanding issues that have not really caused me a problem in the past. i can get back on the bike which is good and have started a range of stretching exercises and back to the physio for the next few weeks....


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## gillelive (24 May 2011)

gillelive said:


> i saw a physio earlier this week and i find that i am not as flexible as i thought! i have short hamstrings and a stiff lower back to name just a couple of points that came up, it looks like the bike is not my problem it has just shown up some longstanding issues that have not really caused me a problem in the past. i can get back on the bike which is good and have started a range of stretching exercises and back to the physio for the next few weeks....




Not been on the forum for a while and not been on the bike... aaaarrrrrrgggghhhh

As I can't ride I thought I would give an update on my leg problem for anyone who is interested.

After 10 physio sessions I am still having problems - I am gym balled and foam rollered out and completely fed up with stretching exercises - all I want to do is get on the bike. I battled through the winter on the bike and now we have the good weather I am stuck in my car!

Anyway, I was referred to a specialist and had the joy of an MRI scan at the weekend - great fun if you don't like confinded spaces! Fingers crossed I will find out what's up this Thursday when I go back to the specialist - I will give an update on Thursday.

My new Sirrus is just sat there looking sad and just waiting to be ridden.

Anyway that's me done for now.


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## HLaB (24 May 2011)

I hope you get it sorted Gillelive, fingers crossed. The only time I've had a MRI was on my head, they said they found something they didn't say how big it was or whether it was working though


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## gillelive (24 May 2011)

HLaB said:


> I hope you get it sorted Gillelive, fingers crossed. The only time I've had a MRI was on my head, they said they found something they didn't say how big it was or whether it was working though




very good  - managed to get the scan through my wife's private health care at work - I've got everything crossed for Thursday


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## gillelive (3 Jun 2011)

bit late with my update but here goes....

MRI showed up patela tendinitis and I also have a problem with my IT band, it is rubbing against the bone at the side of my knee....I guess this is good news! Doc said the knee looked good, no sign of arthritis or any other problems.

Next step is back to a different physio on Monday but first I am having a steroid injection before the exercises are reviewed and then hopefully I will see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Still lovely weather here in Liverpool but no cycling! I am thinking that by the time I get back on the bike I will be back to square one and will need to build up my distances slowly.


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## brockers (4 Jun 2011)

Slightly O/T but if you're strapped for cash and live near London (sorry, not much help for you, OP), you can get seen, diagnosed, and manipulated by ham-fisted skilled and dextrous final year students at the British School of Osteopathy nr Southwark Bridge, for a low fee. And you're getting karma points by being a guinea-pig for the osteos of tomorrow. 

I went last month to get an achy hip sorted out. They pinpoint imbalances and really want to get to grips with the underlying problem, what with them being eager students and all. The treatment is of course supervised by an experienced tutor. 

Worth checking out, and no, I'm not on commission.


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## Lizzy (4 Jun 2011)

seems you have figured it tendonitis already... I found the following link useful - you might want to recheck your bike so once you are healthy you wont re-cause the problem.

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/cycling/bikesetup.htm 

I've posted to see if anyone has used the BG-fit that specalized do, which is horribly expensive but looks a very detailed check of bike fit, which hopefully prevents such injuries, no one has replied yet...


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## HLaB (4 Jun 2011)

I don't know much about tendinitis (I hope) but I can commiserate with you and the IT band, at least it can be sorted out with exercises/ stretches. Slightly OT it interesting to know folk can get it without cleats.


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