So, last Saturday, while riding the Lighthouse, I noticed this:

My right kneecap was burning and hurting while riding (I had on knee warmers and was riding into wind and it was burning) and if I touched the skin (like an abrasion or recent bad bruise or burn). No pain behind or inside the knee - it was on the top, just under the skin that was hurting. I didn't bump my knee in any way and it didn't start hurting until halfway through the ride. Then, Sunday it completely disappeared and felt fine...until this morning. Now, it's killing me again, especially if I touch it. And I noticed it when I was putting lotion on my legs out of the shower this morning. It isn't swollen and there is not bug bite, abrasion or bruising.

What is it?? Anyone ever had this or know what it can be? :(

I have no idea what it is but I've had the same really weird pain like that on one of my elbows...so maybe it's joint related?

Thanks, Alice. You know, you may be right, which is what I fear. :(

I get that on the knee that I injured once. The injury did a little damage to the top of the kneecap, and I think on long rides the tissue sliding across it gets irritated.
Oh, yeah, it also hurts if I bump it.

Well, I never injured mine! I'm hoping it goes away, but I may go in to see a doctor if it doesn't. It really hurts and I have a high pain threshold.

Well, I never injured mine! I'm hoping it goes away, but I may go in to see a doctor if it doesn't. It really hurts and I have a high pain threshold.
Have you tried putting ice on it?

Have you tried putting ice on it?

No, because it's not that kind of pain, John. It's like a burn. I swear, it is the weirdest thing. I've had this once before too on another part of my body (disclaimer: not being perverted!) - my right breast. I discovered it in the shower and I literally couldn't rub the towel over my chest it hurt so bad. Then it just went away. Maybe it's nerve endings?? :eek: Do I even have those in my kneecap though?

No, because it's not that kind of pain, John. It's like a burn. I swear, it is the weirdest thing. I've had this once before too on another part of my body (disclaimer: not being perverted!) - my right breast. I discovered it in the shower and I literally couldn't rub the towel over my chest it hurt so bad. Then it just went away. Maybe it's nerve endings?? :eek: Do I even have those in my kneecap though?

ok...that is exactly what I pm'd you I have had....
I always thought it could be nerve thingie....

I think she hurt herself doing The Cockroach Dance.

I think she hurt herself doing The Cockroach Dance.

Useless without video!!!:p

Useless without video!!!:p

Don't worry. After she gets a few margaritas into her at the South Bay post-ride eats, I'm sure she'll be happy to stand up on the tables and give an encore performance. :)

No, because it's not that kind of pain, John. It's like a burn. I swear, it is the weirdest thing. I've had this once before too on another part of my body (disclaimer: not being perverted!) - my right breast. I discovered it in the shower and I literally couldn't rub the towel over my chest it hurt so bad. Then it just went away. Maybe it's nerve endings?? :eek: Do I even have those in my kneecap though?Yeah, I think a burning pain generally means some nerve problem. Of course you have nerves everywhere.

OKay. This is why I should never, ever, ever go symptom seraching on my own. I'm now convinced that I have every single condition below:

Causes of Kneecap pain:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Kneecap pain. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

Diabetes
Patellofemoral syndrome
Patellar Subluxation dislocation
Articular cartilage injury
Meniscal disorders
Arthritis
Ligament tears
Tendon rupture
Bursitis and tendonitis
Osgood-Schlatter disease
Peripheral artery disease (see Artery symptoms)
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral nerve trauma (see Nerve symptoms)
Peripheral nerve compression (see Nerve symptoms)
Sciatica
Fracture
Cold
Cerebrovascular accident
Trauma
Kneecap injury
Knee injury

Go to the road forum and ask DrPete for a consultation thread..

Knee pain from riding is commonly one of two things:
1) pushing big gears at high force/low RPM, or
2) saddle too low (even by just a little)

It could also be a sort of "referred pain" where the injury is somewhere else slightly, but there's few nerves where the injury is, so you feel it somewhere nearby that's affected a little less. When I tore my ACL and meniscus I had some pain where I wasn't supposed to (the doctor's words were "but there shouldn't be anything there" or something like that), and it was probably due to the meniscus tear.

I'm not suggesting that you have either one of those injuries-- they're pretty unlikely on a bike, and an ACL tear commonly comes with a loud noise that can be heard quite far away. Just that you might be mashing a little hard on one leg and it's causing some knee pain that's showing up in a strange way. Most likely it was strain on the internal bits of your knee from pushing hard while pedaling into the wind, and a little rest and light spinning will help.

Then again, you might just need to have the leg amputated...

Go to the road forum and ask DrPete for a consultation thread..

Is he a knee doctor?

Then again, you might just need to have the leg amputated...


Thanks, Chris. I now feel oh, so, so, so much better. :rolleyes::p

He's a web MD...:D

He's a web MD...:D

Ah. Even better. :p:D

Yeah, I think a burning pain generally means some nerve problem. Of course you have nerves everywhere.

+1

IMO, sounds like a mild form of nerve pain related to a temporary over-sensitization. I'm also pretty sure it's not fatal. ;)

Certain things can cause the nerves to become hypersensitive, and hurt when they normally wouldn't. Your knees might be strong enough to take the stress on them from all that riding you do, but for some reason, the pain sensing nerves in that area got sensitized/activated.

While it's not a typical over-use injury like many other kinds of knee pain, it may very well be a consequence of over-use. There just might have been some kind of irritation of the sensory and/or pain nerves in that area.

For example, note the highlighted section in this quote from the second article linked below:

Overuse injuries occur when a tissue accumulates damage caused by repetitive submaximal loading. Repetitive activity fatigues a specific structure, such as tendon or bone. Without adequate recovery, microtrauma stimulates an inflammatory response, causing the release of vasoactive substances, inflammatory cells, and enzymes that damage local tissue. Cumulative microtrauma from further repetitive activity eventually leads to clinical injury.


AFAIK, there are no good medical treatments for this, though if it continues and/or gets worse, you should certainly see your doctor about it. They can sometimes use drugs, injections, or maybe therapy to help.

Time will probably be the best fix for you. I'd certainly still consider using anti-inflammatories (Motrin, Aleve), ice and/or heat to the knee, anesthetic patches, over-the-counter capsaicin topical cream, or an herbal pain relieving topical cream (like "Traumeel cream". They all might help de-sensitize the nerves involved and speed along the recovery.

If none of that works, just use lots of pain-killers. It won't fix the problem, but you won't care that it's there, and you'd finally be able to do a critical mass ride. :)



CPTips article on bike related knee pain: http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

Great (but fairly technical) knee pain article: http://www.cptips.com/knee2.htm

Is he a knee doctor?He stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

+1

IMO, sounds like a mild form of nerve pain related to a temporary over-sensitization. I'm also pretty sure it's not fatal. ;)


If none of that works, just use lots of pain-killers. It won't fix the problem, but you won't care that it's there, and you'd finally be able to do a critical mass ride. :)

CPTips article on bike related knee pain: http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

Great (but fairly technical) knee pain article: http://www.cptips.com/knee2.htm

Um...so are you saying I ride too much? :rolleyes::p
Thanks, DScott....and as for critical mass - if it involves a mountain road with little to no cars, I'm there! :D

Just to add: not an MD, but I do get to play with them on a fairly regular basis.


Yours in anarchy,

DScott

Um...so are you saying I ride too much? :rolleyes::p
Thanks, DScott....and as for critical mass - if it involves a mountain road with little to no cars, I'm there! :D

Oh, c'mon, don't you really want to take a couple of Vicodin, drink a few beers and ride around town holding up traffic? You could wear your tutu, too, and be the most ironic of all the hipsters!

:)

Oh, c'mon, don't you really want to take a couple of Vicodin, drink a few beers and ride around town holding up traffic? You could wear your tutu, too, and be the most ironic of all the hipsters!

:)

I'm deathly allergic to Vicodin and I don't own a tu-tu and I'm not allowed to drink beer on my diet. It's not looking so hot for me, this CM thing...;):D

Oh well, I guess you're stuck with us nasty old roadies, then.

:D

Oh well, I guess you're stuck with us nasty old roadies, then.

:D

Not necessarily...I may not be up for the beer/vicodin/tutu/stopping traffic thing. But don't think I wouldn't join on a Fatty's ride. You know, a relaxed 20 miler that ends up at Fatty's for grub after. I did that a few years ago, and it was fun. We won't stop traffic, but we will have incredible french toast.

Probably just got bit by something that crawled into your leg warmer while it was in your room
at the Rose Garden.

If your knee turns black, begin to worry.

Probably just got bit by something that crawled into your leg warmer while it was in your room
at the Rose Garden.

If your knee turns black, begin to worry.

Happytime was near my knee but I don't recall her biting it. :D

Seriously, it could be something called Shingles. The pain can be excrutiating.

Well, a family member had shingles, and no, I don't think my knee pain is that. Shingles usually start on the torso and there is a whole host of symptoms that go with it - and trust me, if I had those symptoms, my butt would be in urgent care immediately. That, you do not want to mess around with.

Your knees are burning for a new bike.

So, last Saturday, while riding the Lighthouse, I noticed this:

My right kneecap was burning and hurting while riding (I had on knee warmers and was riding into wind and it was burning) and if I touched the skin (like an abrasion or recent bad bruise or burn). No pain behind or inside the knee - it was on the top, just under the skin that was hurting. I didn't bump my knee in any way and it didn't start hurting until halfway through the ride. Then, Sunday it completely disappeared and felt fine...until this morning. Now, it's killing me again, especially if I touch it. And I noticed it when I was putting lotion on my legs out of the shower this morning. It isn't swollen and there is not bug bite, abrasion or bruising.

What is it?? Anyone ever had this or know what it can be? :( Sounds like patella burn or chondromalacia patella- a roughening of the backside of the kneecap." It occurs as a result of the kneecap traveling outside of it's matching groove in the thigh bone. This tracking problem can result from misalignment due to overpronation or cleat maladjustment- or even from a hip misadjustment." Ouote from Richard's Cycling for Fitness. " Perfectly aligned people seldom get chondromalacia, but those with flat feet, bow legs, and a propensity to over pronate had better pay attention."Some people ,ie Valley Girl, wear a strap around the knee I think to hold the patella in place

Sounds like patella burn or chondromalacia patella- a roughening of the backside of the kneecap." It occurs as a result of the kneecap traveling outside of it's matching groove in the thigh bone. This tracking problem can result from misalignment due to overpronation or cleat maladjustment- or even from a hip misadjustment." Ouote from Richard's Cycling for Fitness. " Perfectly aligned people seldom get chondromalacia, but those with flat feet, bow legs, and a propensity to over pronate had better pay attention."


Okay. Look it, if you want to call me a flat-footed, bow-legged, over-pronating hag, you don't need to back it up with some fancy quote, Bob. :rolleyes::p

You know, I DO need new shoes...and pedals...and wheels...and bike....so, you may have nailed it. Since this is the FIRST time I've encountered this and since my shoes are 3.5 years old, I suspect it's time to update to SIDIs. :D

I always knew ME was out of whack.

Okay. Look it, if you want to call me a flat-footed, bow-legged, over-pronating hag, you don't need to back it up with some fancy quote, Bob. :rolleyes::p

You know, I DO need new shoes...and pedals...and wheels...and bike....so, you may have nailed it. Since this is the FIRST time I've encountered this and since my shoes are 3.5 years old, I suspect it's time to update to SIDIs. :D
I doubt if shoes have anything to do with it. More likely the cleat position on the shoes.

carpet burns. we'll use your knee pads next time.

carpet burns. we'll use your knee pads next time.


How did I KNOW someone was going to go there? Took a long damned time.

In my professional internet doctor opinion, chondromalacia would be experienced more internally. This sounds more superficial to the patella, suggesting neuralgia. Could be referred patellar pain, though.

Let's do a biopsy! Where's my core sampler?

carpet burns. we'll use your knee pads next time.




If that were the case, I'd have callouses by now. Nope, don't think that's it. :rolleyes:

Here it is! It's a little dirty, but it should clean up nicely.

https://www2.carolina.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CarolinaBio/images/medium/653250_app.jpg

If that were the case, I'd have callouses by now. Nope, don't think that's it. :rolleyes:



we just aren't doing it right.

more practice needed....

I had the same burning sensation after I did the Grand Tour and Giro di Peninsula, on back to back weekends. I ended up taking it easier on my knees, and started to take Glucosamin ... ya know ... joint juice. No, not that type of joint! :eek:

Two months later, the knee feels back to normal.