Knee, toe and 'buttock tingling' (not tickling) problem!

[khumbu8000]

I am a regular commuter 30 miles each day and 100 miles each Sunday. I have just done LEJOG in 7 days (av daily mileage 140miles).

My knee began to really hurt on the 4th day. It is my right knee. It seems to be on the inner side slightly under my kneecap. It hurts when I extend my leg even without pressure on the pedals.

I have not had any problems during training,incl doing the Legbreaker.
I did get a duller pain in roughly the same area last year doing a more relaxed 2 week JogLe, but I put that down to cleats not being adjusted properly and I think my curreent cleats are as well-adjusted as they can be.

It seems that there could be a whole host of things that could be causing it. My plan is to do alot of Pilates to get myself (most notably my imbalanced hips) as balanced as possible.

UNfortunately physio and chiropractor etc will only be for emergencies as on a tight budget.

My seat's nose also has a tendency to work its way round to the right, even if done up very tightly.

Am I right in saying that I should just ice it regularly for the short term?

Also about mid-trip I noticed that several of my toes on both feet (but more noticeable on the left foot) are feeling numb and tingly on the ends. It doesn't hurt and is noticeably worse after I have been asleep in bed! I have never noticed my shoes being too tight during the ride.

Finally I get a 'cold tingling' going from my lower back on my right side going into the top half of my right buttock. There does not appear to be any spasms etc. The tingling will be more pronounced if I lean forward eg to do up shoe laces.

I suspect the latter is compressed nerve but I have no pain.

Bearing in mind I am on a budget I am planning to do a range stretching exercises and gentle pilates/ back-loosening exercises for the next two weeks and then rethink if I still have problems.

Has anyone experienced similar problems before?

I would be really grateful for any advice

Ed

 

[col]

Other than thinking trapped nerve,i would take a visit to my docs,you sound very experienced ,and if your stumped,i would make an appointment.

 

[Twenty Inch]

These are all warning signals - especially the tingling - that sounds very much like an inflamed sciatic nerve.

Your body is telling you to lay off for a while. I'd listen to it and seriously consider a visit to your doc or local physio.

I'd also get my bike set up properly (if you haven't already done it). You've got imbalanced hips, a sore knee and a wonky seat. Might be worth getting it properly fitted, especially for your mileage.

 

[skwerl]

yeah - sounds like sciatica and maybe chonromalacia in the knee. that's what I had when I ran long distance and is now creeping back since I ramped up my cycling mileage. I'm off to Cyclefit in Sep for fitting and orthotics, which should hopefully cure with time.

 

[khumbu8000]

The tingling in buttock and right lumbar regio have now stopped. My toes in my left toe are still tingly right at the end.

But most worryingly my knee still hurts. It does not hurt when I walk. Hurts going upstairs after it has been bent (watching tv). I went for a short jog and lasted 50m.

I can bent down and clean the bike etc no probs.

When I was sweeping away some dry grass with my right foot it hurt alot. I have identified that it actually hurts most when the leg is going from straight to bent. ie when the muscles are working to pull the calf muscle backwards.

The knee is not tender to touch but when it hurts it hurts almost under the knee cap towards the bottom half of the knee cap.

I have got a physio's number but until then am going to ice it regularly. I have not taken ibuprofen for a fortnight so should I take this also to help it heal?


Can anyone recommend any other kind of gel etc? Is the Ibuprofen gel more effective?


Looks like a few weeks swimming for me.....

 

[starseven]

Hi

I had cause to visit a physio a while ago for similar problems, at that time i was hillwalking sometimes 50+mile per day. I had suffered from knee pain and a fractured metatarsal (marching fracture).
The exercises he recommended were pilates, not easy to describe but assessment was standing on one bent leg an maintaining balance, try it with both legs to check for weekness and instability also laid on your back raise one leg to 90 and lower this can help you use your leg joint not the hip which will cause problems.

I found it was like teaching myself to walk all over again , useing the correct muscles. Once you are using the correct muscles you can start training them, consider something like the "plank" exercise which looks easy but I gaurentee is not!

Im normally a tight northern type and would have said a physio was for whimps, waste of money etc ,but would now have to admit it was money well spent.


Well done for lejog by the way, regardless of your state 140m a day is gonna hurt!!

 

[HJ]

If you are on a tight budget don't forget that you can get your GP to refer to a physio on the NHS, you don't have to pay for one.

 

[skwerl]

Can anyone recommend any other kind of gel etc? Is the Ibuprofen gel more effective?

Try Voltarol. Excellent stuff and available w/o prescription now

 

[starseven]

Voltarol (Diclofenic) is a very strong anti infammatory/pain killer drug.

I have not tried the gel, but have used the pills. In fact I think they may have allowed me to keep going when I should have stopped, thus causing long term damage.

Suprised its availible non prescription, it can be strong!!

 

[ajc]

Well, not wanting to scare you, I had a similar pain in my knee which was identified as tendinitis and its been months of resting (and surgery due to a torn cartilage).
Well done on your LEJOG, had to cancel mine due to the injury
As has been said above , get yourself a Doctors referral and make sure you see a darned good sports physio and don't try to ride through it, you will make it worse.

 

[skwerl]

Voltarol (Diclofenic) is a very strong anti infammatory/pain killer drug.

I have not tried the gel, but have used the pills. In fact I think they may have allowed me to keep going when I should have stopped, thus causing long term damage.

Suprised its availible non prescription, it can be strong!!

You can only get the gel w/o prescription. It's good at reducing inflammation and numbing pain. Runners swear by it. I guess with any injury, if you are consistently using drugs to treat something recurring then you run the risk of it causing serious damage

 

[khumbu8000]

Thanks all