Standing on the pedals, knees, and have I damaged one of them?
- Thread starter Mile195
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
There's a lot of mystique about knees. If it continues to play up, seek proper medical advice.
It's improbable that you can injure an otherwise healthy knee by over-gearing, standing on the pedals, exposing your knees to chilly weather or damp, or any of the other cycling memes.
However, I expect that one could exacerbate existing injuries by these things. But equally, a pre existing condition could flare up for unrelated reasons such as a change in barometric pressure and you could end up blaming one of the above.
As I have two dodgy knees I tend to play safe and believe the stories. Cherry picking stories enables reinforcement: for example, I once did a long ride during which my front mech got stuck on the big ring. I was expecting my knees to hurt afterwards and, lo and behold, they did.
One thing you should avoid, according to my very eminent knee surgeon, is swimming breaststroke. The rotational motion is very bad for the knee he says, and who am I to doubt him?
It's improbable that you can injure an otherwise healthy knee by over-gearing, standing on the pedals, exposing your knees to chilly weather or damp, or any of the other cycling memes.
However, I expect that one could exacerbate existing injuries by these things. But equally, a pre existing condition could flare up for unrelated reasons such as a change in barometric pressure and you could end up blaming one of the above.
As I have two dodgy knees I tend to play safe and believe the stories. Cherry picking stories enables reinforcement: for example, I once did a long ride during which my front mech got stuck on the big ring. I was expecting my knees to hurt afterwards and, lo and behold, they did.
One thing you should avoid, according to my very eminent knee surgeon, is swimming breaststroke. The rotational motion is very bad for the knee he says, and who am I to doubt him?
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vickster
Legendary Member
Whereas my knee surgeon said to do whichever stroke is most comfortable for the knees when I had the conversation a few years back (after he banned me from every exercise other than swimming)...so even the specialists can't agree BUT I expect it depends on the nature of the specific patient's problem(s)! Avoiding doing anything that hurts, causes swelling or another adverse effect is probably standard and sensible advice when it comes to knees!
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Indeed, if it hurts, don't do it.
My heart sank when I was told that swimming was my only exercise. I don't like it at all. I spent many joyless hours swimming with a crawl leg action holding a float during my recovery. I have not set foot in water, other than my bath, since.
My surgeon was specifically referring to my condition to begin with (avoiding rotation) but he added as a jokey afterthought that he thought no one should ever swim breaststroke, so it wasn't really general advice.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Years ago I wrecked the articular cartilage of my left knee falling over in the snow. I had a cartilage implant (matrix assisted autologous chondrocyte implantation) under a really nice chap named Fares Haddad. It involved immobilising my leg with no weight bearing for a couple of months, so I ended up with one stick-thin leg. My right knee is just old and grouchy.
vickster
Legendary Member
Ah how did the MACI work out for you? I finally got my then insurer to agree to pay back in Dec 2010 for one on a defect on my left femur...had the scope and the surgeon (one of the top guys from RNOH) wouldn't do it as I'm knock kneed, had a lateral menisectomy and the tibia cartilage opposite also ropey. He thought it hadd a 20% chance of taking!
I'm actually quite glad as it's been kept under control since with injections and the rehab sounded horrific as you say! I expect the knee will need replacing at some point. It's laying up currently as is the right, I actually see the specialist in the morning to discuss the bloody things!
I'm actually quite glad as it's been kept under control since with injections and the rehab sounded horrific as you say! I expect the knee will need replacing at some point. It's laying up currently as is the right, I actually see the specialist in the morning to discuss the bloody things!
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Mr Haddad and his MACI magic gave me my knee back. It's still a bit weaker than the other, and it was a long and tortuous process and long recovery but worked out well. It was over 10 years ago and still going strong. There were lots of insurance problems with MACI as I think it isn't (or wasn't) a NICE procedure, but I was part of a clinical study. I've forgotten the fine details of the bureaucracy but it was as much faff as the recovery.
oldfatfool
Guru
Go straight to Hospital and demand a full knee replacement under the lifetime warranty the one you was given came with. Thats my plan anyway. 
vickster
Legendary Member
No ideal at the age of 43 as TKR's don't last for ever...and revisions are very diceyGo straight to Hospital and demand a full knee replacement under the lifetime warranty the one you was given came with. Thats my plan anyway.
oldfatfool
Guru
Tell me about it, I was told 10 years ago I would need new knees, still only 46 now. Never mind soldier on.
RE leg lock outs.
I once followed a pro climbing up a short hill, out of the saddle, but with knees always bent. He just powered his way up easily. I try and do the same and does feel better. If you lock the legs at the knee, it is just body weight and arm strength taking you up. If the legs are always bent, you can still use the power in your leg muscles. My theory anyway.
Cheers keith
I once followed a pro climbing up a short hill, out of the saddle, but with knees always bent. He just powered his way up easily. I try and do the same and does feel better. If you lock the legs at the knee, it is just body weight and arm strength taking you up. If the legs are always bent, you can still use the power in your leg muscles. My theory anyway.
Cheers keith
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Here's an article on standing on the pedals
http://www.perfectcondition.ltd.uk/Articles/honking/Honking.htm
It may be great, it may be all full of misinformation. You decide.
http://www.perfectcondition.ltd.uk/Articles/honking/Honking.htm
It may be great, it may be all full of misinformation. You decide.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
On the first commute of January this year something went crunch in my knee at the end of my road. No fast riding, no big gears involved.
It took a good 5 months to be comfortable. My Dr prescribed me a 1/4 of a deponit plaster that has nitro glycerine in it- it's supposed to get more blood in there. Not sure if it was beneficial.
As above, spin lighter gears and keep the knees warm.
It took a good 5 months to be comfortable. My Dr prescribed me a 1/4 of a deponit plaster that has nitro glycerine in it- it's supposed to get more blood in there. Not sure if it was beneficial.
As above, spin lighter gears and keep the knees warm.
For the sake of completeness (in case a different civilisation is reading this millions of years in the future and wondered what happened!...) I just thought I'd give an update.
I took 3 days off the bike completely. After that I subjected myself to a complete moratorium on getting out of the saddle, and changing right down EVERY time I stop no matter how great the temptation to do otherwise.
Whatever the pain was, it has now gone away. I'm still mostly staying in the saddle "just in case", but I did check out the article above as well as some others around the internet. I also watched some cyclocross the other day just to see what they were doing on the hills. It seems that keeping the knees slightly bent all the way to the bottom of the stroke is indeed the way to go when standing on the pedals, so I've been experimenting with it a bit, but not as a substitute for not moving off in the correct gear.
In short, seems it was mostly a case of worrying about nothing. So I'm considering it a warning which hopefully will prevent a more serious injury ever happening in future as a result of a riding style which isn't quite ideal.
Thanks again for all your comments.
I took 3 days off the bike completely. After that I subjected myself to a complete moratorium on getting out of the saddle, and changing right down EVERY time I stop no matter how great the temptation to do otherwise.
Whatever the pain was, it has now gone away. I'm still mostly staying in the saddle "just in case", but I did check out the article above as well as some others around the internet. I also watched some cyclocross the other day just to see what they were doing on the hills. It seems that keeping the knees slightly bent all the way to the bottom of the stroke is indeed the way to go when standing on the pedals, so I've been experimenting with it a bit, but not as a substitute for not moving off in the correct gear.
In short, seems it was mostly a case of worrying about nothing. So I'm considering it a warning which hopefully will prevent a more serious injury ever happening in future as a result of a riding style which isn't quite ideal.
Thanks again for all your comments.
