I am getting back into cycling. After college I would hit the roads for 30+ mile trips, but then switched to running because I thought it was more time-efficient for fitness. Turns out I was wrong about that.
Now I'm trying to get back into cycling. One of the reasons is that I have fairly severe chondromalacia in my knees. This is known as runner's knee and often misdiagnosed as patellar tendonitis (the symptoms are the same). But my knees still hurt after a ride.
My question is, should I even bother investing in what I need to invest in to get back up to speed? Or should I just start swimming with a kickboard? (I hate swimming)
Has anyone else here had severe chondromalacia and found a way to deal with or minimize pain while cycling? My problem isn't going to go away with a few days of stretching, quad exercise, or anything like that. I don't know what will make my problem go away, but I want to make sure that biking won't actually make it worse.
Better yet, has anyone here ever had something like a knee replacement and returned to the road?
Carbonfiberboy
05-01-08, 03:30 PM
Many people develop this syndrome and get it to stop, including me.
#1 - bike fit. You may need to use a greater saddle height than you are used to.
#2 - try glucosamine, about 1000mg/day for at least a month
#3 - spin a higher cadence. That reduces the load on your kneecap. 90-100 rpm. Buy a cyclocomputer with cadence if you don't already have one.
#4 - Use decent bike shoes and clipless pedals. That will spread the load to muscles other than your quads, which again reduces the load on your kneecap. Practice pedaling circles.
J.W.
05-01-08, 04:12 PM
From what i understand "chondromalacia" is due to overtraining. So something like swimming would be great. It would take the load off your knee, but still give you a great aerobic workout. I would say rest, STRETCH (quads and hamstrings) and give it time. I agree about raising your cadence also..
bryroth
05-01-08, 07:34 PM
Carbonfiberboy, good to hear you got past it.
Carbonfiberboy
05-01-08, 08:54 PM
Carbonfiberboy, good to hear you got past it.Thanks. And a lot of getting past it was also time and strengthening from biking and weight lifting. Leg sled and squats, mostly. Getting the patella to track smoothly. Sometimes it's an imbalance. One muscle is pulling the patella out of its central track. But mostly what helped was raising my saddle about a centimeter.
bryroth
05-02-08, 07:41 AM
I just can't seem to kick it. I've had it for years now and my range of motion is significantly limited at this point. The thought of doing squats makes me queasy. I'm afraid that I'm a candidate for surgery, but it's hard to find an ortho who gives a damn, since 'runners knee' sounds so benign. I'm actually hoping that a good fit on my bike might actually alleviate some of the problem, given that it strengthens my quads. I plan on bathing in ibuprofin after I get a professional fitting this afternoon, and then hitting the road.
Carbonfiberboy
05-02-08, 11:14 AM
I just can't seem to kick it. I've had it for years now and my range of motion is significantly limited at this point. The thought of doing squats makes me queasy. I'm afraid that I'm a candidate for surgery, but it's hard to find an ortho who gives a damn, since 'runners knee' sounds so benign. I'm actually hoping that a good fit on my bike might actually alleviate some of the problem, given that it strengthens my quads. I plan on bathing in ibuprofin after I get a professional fitting this afternoon, and then hitting the road.And do try the glucosamine, too. It's not a quack remedy. It really works for some people. Not for everyone, but many. Very cheap at Trader Joe's. No reason not to.
I went to an othopod, too. He said I should lead a sedentary life. F*** that!
LifeIsSuffering
05-02-08, 12:30 PM
I just can't seem to kick it. I've had it for years now and my range of motion is significantly limited at this point. The thought of doing squats makes me queasy.
One of the biggest misconceptions I see floating around is that cyclists MUST perform squats.
No, we don't.
Deep squats (the ass-to-heel type) can place a great deal of shearing stress on the knees.
Parallel squats (the femur is approximately parallel to the floor) can be dangerous because you are stopping and quickly reversing the motion at an angle in which the knees are quite vulnerable.
Shallow (or quarter squats) often invite the trainee to use more weight than is necessary. Too much weight increases the risk of injury not only to the knees but also the spine.
Body weight squats or certain variations of squats with moderate weight can be beneficial for some as long as they don't have any pre-existing conditions, warm up well, use proper form, and know when to stop and call it a day.
The undeniable fact is, some people just weren't meant to perform certain exercises. There are a variety of factors. For example, heavy overhead pressing exercises aggravate my shoulders; therefore, I employ other methods of strengthening them.
That you're dreading the mere thought of squatting is your body's way of saying it's not for you. In cases like this, your body is smarter than your ability to rationalize.
The rule is simple: if an activity decreases the quality of life or if the risk/benefit ratio is unfavorable, then don't f'ing do it.
I'm afraid that I'm a candidate for surgery, but it's hard to find an ortho who gives a damn, since 'runners knee' sounds so benign. I'm actually hoping that a good fit on my bike might actually alleviate some of the problem, given that it strengthens my quads.
What do you call someone that graduated dead last from medical school? Doctor.
Like any other profession, the medical community includes the very good, the very mediocre, and the very...well, if I had my way, they wouldn't even be allowed to apply band-aids on paper cuts.
Try harder to find a better ortho. It's just that simple. Find a good PT and make this a team effort, with you as an active participant.
I plan on bathing in ibuprofin after I get a professional fitting this afternoon, and then hitting the road.
I don't know if this is facetious.
If I missed the sarcasm, don't read any further. If you're serious, you're only digging yourself into a deeper hole.
There was another thread recently in which I advised the OP that seemingly insignificant errors will add up and eventually exact a toll.
NSAIDs have a place in a treatment program. However, they shouldn't be used to mask the problem when you know it'll only return. If you, in an act of frustration, give this inevitability the finger, the joke will be on you.
All too often, I see people defining their toughness by riding in subzero weather, doing back to back doubles, intervals on top of intervals until they puke and then dry heave, etc. etc. etc. etc. There's some validity to this. But there's another aspect of being tough: the ability to maintain discipline and doing what's necessary rather than doing what's desired.