When to start riding after a twisted knee

[neilfein]

As some of you filks undoubtedly know, I twisted my left knee pretty badly two weeks ago. I'm starting to feel better, barely limping at all. But it's still uncomfortable to bend my knee more than what you would do to sit on a chair. Biking is not gonna work until I can support my weight on the leg unaided.

At what point should I start riding again? When it doesn't hurt to do so? Or would some slow "riding" on a stationary bike be a good way to stretch it out? I'm wondering if that would be good or if it would makr the knee worse; when I spent a lot of time walking (limping) on it on vacation last week, I without a doubt made it worse.

[andymac]

Only you can answer that question. If it were me, the answer would be "two weeks before I should have". I hate not being able to ride, I just took a month off to let some broken ribs mend and it drove me crazy.

[lil brown bat]

At what point should I start riding again?

I don't know. Did you go see a doctor? They know a lot about these things, particularly when they get to look at the knee in question.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

That's something you need to talk to your Dr about. If there's no structural damage, then keeping the knee mobile MAY, rpt MAY be of benefit, but that's something you'd need to address with the Doc. ;) If you are still limping though, I submit that if you need to dab that leg for balance, you are doing so with a significantly weakened knee and I'd hate to see you really injure it if there isn't already damage to the ligaments or tendons.

[unixpro]

Agreed. If you're still limping 2 weeks after, you've got something wrong and need to see a good orthopedic doctor. Preferably one that works in sports medicine. They'll be able to tell you pretty quickly if it's something simple that can be worked out with some exercises, if you need some sort of PT, maybe a cortisone shot, or surgery.

Pain is your body's way of letting you know that something is wrong. Listen to it.

[Costello]

I dislocated my kneecap a month ago and was able to get on the bike two weeks ago. Take your time with it and if it becomes really uncomfortable, hey, don't do it!

[Skoper]

You are the only one to answer that question. I did the same to my wrist 9 days ago, and haven't ridden since.

I am gonna try it in about ten minutes, and see how it feels.

If your in pain riding is no fun...... what sucks is not riding is not fun also.

good luck

[jaxgtr]

Neil, as you know, I was recently injured and had surgery, but I agree that if you have not seen a doctor, you need to schedule a visit. I waited 2 weeks to go see one after I thought I was getting better, but I was not. I had more damage that I thought and even though I was given the OK to ride before my surgery, I over did it and I ended up making the injury more severe.

Since post surgery while my knee feels much better I still find myself overdoing and have been taking extended days in between rides now. This week I have not ridden at all as I was having some pain, but will take a ride tonight to to keep the legs moving and will be taking a more conservative approach to my recovery. I was going to try and hit my ultimate yearly goal but have realized that it's not attainable without possibly causing long term damage.

[neilfein]

Update: I'm feeling a lot better. Still very stiff, and a little bit of knee pain (not limping, though) and I'm down a few advils a day. I even went on the exercise bike for a few minutes (not exercise so much as a test, with the pedal resistance dialed waaay down).

Thanks to everyone for the advice (including the BFer who PMed me about this).
I'm still gonna try to go see a doctor about this, though, to check when I can get on with normal cycling.

[bloodhound]

I know how you feel. I'm only 3 days into my knee injury, and I already can't stand not riding the bike.

So I don't repeat the whole story unecessarily, here it is:

http://back2dabike.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/not-riding-again/

Get a doctor's advice, and follow it. Don't make it worse... good luck to ya.

[neilfein]

I've been doing short rides for the last 2 days, 1.3 and 3.5 miles, avoiding serious hills. I have a Dr. appointment tfor next week before I start doing any serious riding.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

I've been doing short rides for the last 2 days, 1.3 and 3.5 miles, avoiding serious hills. I have a Dr. appointment tfor next week before I start doing any serious riding.

Just take it easy, Neil ;)

[neilfein]

I saw the doctor yesterday (not my GP, but someone else at the same practice) and she said, essentially, "yep, you sprained the knee". What I've been doing -- taking it easy, ramping up the miles slowly - is exactly the correct thing to do. She also gave me a piece of paper showing knee stretches to do every night.

The possibility of my having torn any cartilige is a very low probability, but she said that I should come back in 2-4 weeks if it's not better, and see the sports doctor they have. (They have a sports doctor at my primary physician's practice -- Who knew?)

The most interesting thing she said was that coming in right after the accident actually wouldn't have helped any. It takes a while for things to "calm down" enough that they can see what's going on.

[Bill Kapaun]

The most interesting thing she said was that coming in right after the accident actually wouldn't have helped any. It takes a while for things to "calm down" enough that they can see what's going on.

That's often true!
Years ago, I had a "simple" wrist fracture, bone wise. The swelling however (from the impact) took 4 weeks to subside before they could put a cast on it. I ended up skipping the cast and just wearing the splint another week since the bone was mostly healed.
Just take it slow and easy. Sounds like you are progressing steadily, so don't get in a hurry and "mess it up"!:)

[Wogsterca]

I saw the doctor yesterday (not my GP, but someone else at the same practice) and she said, essentially, "yep, you sprained the knee". What I've been doing -- taking it easy, ramping up the miles slowly - is exactly the correct thing to do. She also gave me a piece of paper showing knee stretches to do every night.

The possibility of my having torn any cartilige is a very low probability, but she said that I should come back in 2-4 weeks if it's not better, and see the sports doctor they have. (They have a sports doctor at my primary physician's practice -- Who knew?)

The most interesting thing she said was that coming in right after the accident actually wouldn't have helped any. It takes a while for things to "calm down" enough that they can see what's going on.

When I messed up my shoulder (nothing broken, but the nerves were pulled, think a pulled muscle is bad, a pulled nerve is much, much, much worse, the pain is so bad, that even the powerful pain killers can't lower it at all). Anyway they scheduled an MRI for 2 months later, the neurologist said, any sooner and they wouldn't be able to see anything..... That shoulder started hurting again yesterday, I think it's the change in the weather, it switched from Summer mode to Fall mode, it doesn't get as warm, and there are a lot more rain days, tonight they are forecasting 9℃ (that's ~48℉), Moosonee will see 0℃ overnight, and that's really not that far away.:(

[lil brown bat]

The most interesting thing she said was that coming in right after the accident actually wouldn't have helped any. It takes a while for things to "calm down" enough that they can see what's going on.

Well, yeah, but you have to know what to do in the meantime. RICE -- rest, ice, compression, elevation. Take NSAIDs and learn how to tape it. Make an appointment for a few days later, and if you are diligent, by the time you get there the swelling will have reduced enough for a decent diagnosis. After you've done this as much as I have, you pretty much have the soft-tissue-injury drill down.

[SPlKE]

I had a biking related overuse and twist injury on the lower inside area of my left knee earlier this year. (I was into overuse territory on that knee when I twisted it mashing my way out of being run off the road by an oblivious left-turning car coming at me.)

I found a few great articles, made some fairly small changes to my seat height/fore-aft position, did some of the stretches shown in the links below, added a carbon fiber orthotic to my left shoe (my left leg is a about .3 inch shorter than my right), and nursed it back to good riding condition within about a month.

Hope this helps.


http://www.mountain-bike-cumbria.co.uk/index.php?s=articles&p=kneeinjuries

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/cycling/bikesetup.htm

http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Handouts/overusekneeinjuries/overusekneeinjuries.htm

http://www.roadcycling.com/training/kneepain.shtml

[neilfein]

I saw the doctor yesterday (not my GP, but someone else at the same practice) and she said, essentially, "yep, you sprained the knee". What I've been doing -- taking it easy, ramping up the miles slowly - is exactly the correct thing to do. She also gave me a piece of paper showing knee stretches to do every night.

If anyone's interested, here they are:

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_medollig_rex.htm
(http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_medollig_rex.htm)

[ItCostsWhat?]

As for myself I went through 2 years of pain waiting for my knees to heal, what made the turn around for me was ICE, I ace wraped my knees for hard workouts, then as soon as possable I stood in the ice pool,about 20 minutes, It ranged from 50 to 62 degrees. after getting out of the pool I felt great. now I still use ice packs after workouts,(no ace wraps), but I can train as hard as I want.