Dodgy knee help.

[willhub]

My 3rd thread, I assure you I'm not spamming.

Forgive me if I've made a thread on this subject, I think I recall something in a thread and a link but cannot find it.

I think at the moment as far as cycling is concerned I am on thin ice, I got an MRi scan results back and I have worn articular cartilage on the knee cap, I guess the bottom of the knee cap.

Anyway I did a 118 mile ride on Saturday and felt fine, next day I did 12 miles, I think I rested that day after, maybe the day after that, but I had one rest day than after that I did 25 miles and about 22 yesterday attempting interval training, now today my knee has being hurting, clicking when I bend it, I'm sure sometimes when I bend it or when I am in bed I can feel something in my knee that could be catching and sometimes it must be in a different place. I've got a bandage on and it's helping, I'm not planning on cycling tomorrow but I really want to do the 100ish miles on Saturday or Sunday, if it's Sunday then I'll do around 26 miles Saturday, to and from the club run but not doing the club run.

So does the worn cartilage heal back? Will the use of Omega fish oil capsules, Glucosamine sulphate tablets and glucosamine gel that I apply onto the knee help?

Does the worn articulare cartlidge just infalame and hurt due to being iriated by use and resting maybe double than normal help it go down?

I've got a 180miler on July 5th and I dont want to miss it, I paid for it and was quite looking forward to it and stocked up on energy stuff for it

Thanks
Will.

 

[fossyant]

Nope..cartilage is gone, it's gone - you may need some removing...to fix the issue. If you are as far as having an MRI, then you have some problems (I am in the same issue with my spine/neck - hence no big rides over 2 hours....)

Don't do the any big miler....you'd be stupid, until you can address the issue - so keep it to short fast rides....FFS..I don't often (nearly ever) do big miles like that.....

You are fairly young aren't you...FFS look after your knees..... no.1 if you plan to cycle until you kick the bucket.........

Miss the event..you'd be stupid not being 100% knee fit....sorry Knees are No.1 for cyclists.......then heart/lung capacity...watch it if they are dodgy...otherwise you may not be riding.....

 

[willhub]

So I should not do long rides but can do short fast rides? How long is short? I mean for me short is around 60 miles, are you thinking more like 30? I'd have thought short fast would be just as bad no? I feel sick being told I have to stop doing long rides though, I know it probably was going to be said but still, not a good thing.

If I had some cartlidge removed surely that would not totally have me off the bike full time over the course of weeks?

My doctor who got the MRi scan is in Manchester, if I booked an appointment here and told the doctor what's happened would he be able to advise me/refer me without seeing the MRi scan?

I'm going to book an appointment at the docs tomorrow for tomorrow.

I do hope when/if it's sorted it wont impair my ability to do long big miles, 100+ is common for me, usually every saturday or sunday it's 115 miles minimum here in York.

 

[montage]

This really really sucks....sorry to hear this

I hope it isn't as bad as you think!

 

[willhub]

I hope not, when I rest my knee over say 4 or so days it goes back to being painless and I can do rides for a week or so but then it comes back, if I put my hand on my knee as I sit here and put pressure on the knee slightly pushing it, you know when you have gloves on and make a snow ball and crush it, the sort of vibration that is caused or the feeling, that's the sort of sensation I feel. I'm hoping it's not serious, before I took up cycling I was uber unhealthy slob and now I'd say I'm quite a fit cyclists that is quite fast, and want to improve, not go down hill.

I just don't understand why I have this problem?? Maybe it was cadence? But I always keep 80-90RPM. I think the knee problem is impairing my performance on the bike though, just worrying seems to make me slightly slower. Cant wait for tomorrow to come and hope an appointment is available!

 

[jimboalee]

Sounds like some minor surgery and a couple of months off the hilly rides.

 

[willhub]

So after this "minor" surgery if that's what I'd need would I be able to be straight back onto the bike for like commuting, on flat roads.

It seems to have eased down today but I cant go to the docs there is no appointments FFS

I don't understand, a small paths of wear was described, so why's it causing all this??

 

[willhub]

Bumping this.

I got reffered to a physio but I've heard nothing and it's beinh like 4 weeks, so I rang the doctors, they told me I have being referred but I would have to ring the physio department at Selby Hospital, but that is pointless it appears as if no one ever answers, I'm not exactly confident anyway my mum says I would not hope for much with those physio's my mum says they are useless.

I have being cycling normally on it since my last posts as the doctors said it was fine and I had no problems really at all for some weeks, but then it flared up again and it's really p155ing me off, I can't afford to go private, yes I know my knee is very important but I'd dry my account up going private.

I know one guy and he cycles all over he's about equal in terms of performance as me and his left leg I think he has no cartilage that happened from running and cycling seems to be ok without cartilage?

I guess I'm stuck in a rut ot whatever you'd say now untill I can cough up the cash to pay for physio's.

 

[Paul_iow]

Why not just wait for the physio apointment to come through or keep phoning them to find out what is happening? In the mean time rest your knee as you say:

when I rest my knee over say 4 or so days it goes back to being painless

This is good and you are unlikely to do more damage if you rest it. Just be patient as you seem all to worried about getting everything done yesterday. These things take time and unfortunately the NHS is pretty snowed under.

 

[Bigtwin]

When I had a knee problem, I went to see a private sports physio.

She and the NHS version were chalk and cheese in approach and results. It wasn't that expensive (about £50 a hour and I did 3 sessions) and it cured the problem entirely.

I would certainly give that a go.

 

[willhub]

But that is expensive for me, I don't have £150!!!

So is it worth even botering with the Pysio at the hospital? I dont need anything amazing all I want it for my knee to be at a level where I can keep cycling and not get constant dull pain.

The Physio department wont ever answer at the hospital so I'm going to go back to the doctors, I dont know what they'll do but I'm totally ***** off, I might just let my knee detroy it's self I'm sure I'll get 6 months at best out of it, plenty of time to think of another sport, maybe even those bikes you pedal with your arms. I've only being cycling like 14 months and my knee is a mess, it's an absoloute p155 take, I bet when my leg was pulled and snapped back into place when I broke my tib and fib back in 2000 they have not done it right and it's healed wrong and causing this wear.

 

[Paul_iow]

Keep trying them on the phone, try them at different times throughout the day. They will be incredibly busy and not every department have their own admin people who can answer the phone. Without knowing the exact problem you have it won't be possible for anyone to say "dont bother with the physio" as everyone is different.

I agree with you that it is frustrating that you can't get an answer from the physio but you appear to have the attitude everything should be done this minute but unfortunately the NHS do have a waiting list. The physio department in the trust I work in have a 3-4 month waiting list!

I've only being cycling like 14 months and my knee is a mess, it's an absoloute p155 take, I bet when my leg was pulled and snapped back into place when I broke my tib and fib back in 2000 they have not done it right and it's healed wrong and causing this wear.

This is the kind of thing that really p***** me off and can end in law suits and people going to court. If you feel things weren't done right go down the appropriate channel but you can't blame people for something which may not be their fault.

My advice to you, lay off the bike for a while (yes this can be frustrating, but whats worse, a break from the bike or a knee that doesn't work?) and keep trying the physio's. You will get an answer but you just have to be patient!

*sorry for the mini essay*

 

[willhub]

Well if it's 3-4months here she should not have bothered referring me and told me that, I said I'd be back in Manchester in 2 or so months.

 

[Will1985]

Why not see if your GP will refer you to a physio in Manchester? Wrecking your knee even more won't help your knee and it won't help your case with the doctors/physio if they see a person who won't listen to professional advice.

 

[willhub]

But I am listening to professional advice, the doctors tell me it's safe to cycle, it's not really a contact sport and it should not cause any more harm. I've being to the doctors, all he did is try speed up the physio referal. I'll get onto being referred to a physio in Manchester closer to the time as I think they will do that.