Nerve pain?

[Deleted member 20519]

Having a bit of trouble with my knee

I was cycling along and everything was fine but I had to stop to adjust my light. I stopped, adjusted it and noticed that I was having a very sharp pain right above me knee. I did stretch before I left the house so I stretched again and then set off.

Now, 2 days later, the pain is still there and it's pretty sore to walk on. Does anyone know what has caused this? One minute I was fine, the next minute I was sore.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Do you always stretch cold muscle? (generally a no-no) Did the pain continue when you rode on?

 

[Deleted member 20519]

Do you always stretch cold muscle? (generally a no-no) Did the pain continue when you rode on?

Yes I do, I stretch before I leave and then mid-ride. Is this wrong? It seemed fine after I stretched so I cycled about another 5ish miles and when I stopped again, I realised that it was getting pretty sore. After that I just headed home.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Generally yes. Cold tissue doesn't have the same elastic properties that warm tissue does. It's entirely possible that your stretching has been too deep, especially on a knee with a cold,non lubricated joint.

 

[Kies]

Yes it's wrong. Far better to start cycling slowly and allow your muscles to warm up naturally. You can start stomping the pedals after a couple of miles.
Back home, pick a realy low gear and spin your legs for a bit up and down the road. Finally when you get off the bike, give them a stretch.

Lots of folks forget a warm down is just as important as a warmup.

 

[Deleted member 20519]

Interesting, I never knew this! What kind of stretches should I be doing?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Interesting, I never knew this! What kind of stretches should I be doing?

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Seven_simple_stretches_for_cyclists

Note that it is important to be as low as possible post-ride stretch (ie: on the floor) it encourages venous return of blood back to your heart helping to prevent blood pooling - which can lead to weak vein walls, DVT and so on. Better to do this kinda thing in your youth,than require attention later in life.

 

[fossyant]

That's not nerve pain btw.

 

[Deleted member 20519]

That's not nerve pain btw.

Hence the '?' in the title.

 

[Globalti]

There's even a suggestion emerging that stretching before a ride actually increases your chances of injury.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

There's even a suggestion emerging that stretching before a ride actually increases your chances of injury.

We covered that

 

[Globalti]

*bows elaborately while doffing feathered hat*

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

this is probably tied in with the change in your saddle height and could well be related to another thread....
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/iv...rtable-on-my-bike-and-i-dont-know-why.124671/

 

[ayceejay]

Stretching does not 'warm up' muscles, in fact, as others have said stretching before warming up is a bad idea, the way to warm up for cycling is to cycle but at a low intensity. Having read your OP again I am wondering if cold weather and inadequate clothing played a part in this.
If indeed you are experiencing nerve pain (similar to sciatica) this will more than likely stop of its own accord if you continue to ride making sure that you warm up before stretching and go easy on the stretching, rest will not help.

 

[vickster]

I don't think pain above the knee would be sciatica, the sciatic nerve runs down the back of the leg no?

This sounds more like a muscle pull I think