Road Bike Racing - I'd like some help with a new pain

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substructure
05-26-07, 11:34 AM
40 miles into a hard ride today I started getting a pain in the lower, front of my left knee. A new pain. What was odd is that it moved to the back of my leg and eventually ached in my left hamstring and lower back. I've never really hurt like that before. It started zapping my power.

I have made a few, small adjustments when I got a new saddle and cleats. But, it hasn't felt like this before.

I'd love to hear from some of you on this of what it may be and how to correct it.
I came here to ask because I look up to a lot of you and your advice is spot on sometimes. Thanks.

zonatandem
05-26-07, 04:54 PM
Spin, spin, spin!
Snuffleupagus
05-26-07, 05:10 PM
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/patellar-tendinitis/DS00625

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/jumpersk.gif

Do something about it, NOW, before it gets worse. Because left untreated it will, and you won't be riding much aside from your couch.

Believe me...I'm the master of f**ked knees.

aicabsolut
05-26-07, 07:14 PM
Any way it was lower/medial part of the knee, not below patella, but down near the top of the tibia?

I will get tension there on my right knee, which tracks more inward towards the top tube than the left, due to some biomechanical asymmetries. It's usually one of the groin or hamstring muscles. I'm not 100% sure which one, as several tie in around that area of the knee, but it's maybe the semimembranosus. It will feel rope-like in a massage, and there may be a trigger point up near its pelvic attachment too. Generally a good hamstring and groin stretch after each ride fixes things for a while.

I've also found that turning my cleat so that I'm a little more toe-out on that side keeps me from overusing the inner hams and the long adductors, whichever one it is that I'm irritating.

It does feel like it's deep in the anterior/medial part of the knee, but I've discovered there's nothing really going on IN the joint.

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~athmed/aclrehab/postmus.jpg
chipcom
05-26-07, 07:56 PM
I'd suspect the adjustments have caused it, including the position of the new cleats. Rest it, undo your adjustments back to original, see a Doc, redo your adjustments ONE AT A TIME, when you are cleared to ride, giving each a good test before doing another or rolling back.