Tandem Tom

Been having knee pain on the outside of my left knee. Does not bother me while riding. So when to a sports med doc orthopedics. X-ray show arthritis in the knee. He prescribed some anti inflammatory med and suggested a knee brace.
Anyone else been down this road?

Laurido92

I'm currently experiencing knee pain on my right knee. Going to the bike shop to re check bike fitment and going to try a knee brace as well.

cb400bill

Moved from Electronics to General Cycling Discussion with a three day redirect.

chasm54

Huh? This is 50 +, not general cycling.

JohnDThompson 

Not with my knees, but plenty in my shoulders and hands.

NYMXer

I am not an expert but I have had a few knee issues due to a serious accident in '79. I have found that the more I stay away from knee braces and the more PT i do to strengthen my knee, the better off I am.
Braces help hold the knee stable, as do muscles, tendons and ligaments. If your joint is strong from exercise, there is no need for a brace. The brace will ultimately start a deterioration process that will result in PT, so get a head start now and consult a physical therapist for advice.
Either way, good luck with your problem and I hope you get it resolved.

cb400bill

Two Mods both moved the thread within seconds of each other. It will stay in 50+.

02Giant 

Arthritis in both hands and both knees, after cycling 50-60 miles I cant hardly walk for a couple of days but it was worth it.

avidone1

I too have some arthritis in my knee. My neck and back are worse but it's in the knee too.
I really don't like to wear braces of any sort. I believe they are totally counter productive.
The only way I've known to be effective against the discomfort of arthritis is movement and strength.
I ride and I go to gym. My neck and back issues improved with fitness, bike fit, and some adaptations e.g. riser stem, selle smp saddle etc.
My knee pain improved by doing squats (very carefully with no or light weight) and the stair climber.
braces weaken joints, and that's not how one improves.

kennj123

I have a history of knee problems. Used to run but now i bike. whats your strategy on cadence? i'm trying higher cadence so i put less pressure on knees, like 90+. It does mean sitting harder on the seat which means more butt fatigue. I ride with a hybrid bike with a butterfly bar. I have some back issue too so i need the flexibility.

McBTC

Iliotibial band friction could be the cause... certainly sounds like it. Not sure how much help Aleve may be for ITBS...

MikeD1

I really agree with this post. Blew my left knee at 19 yr/old, many subsequent injuries to both knees over the years. Docs told me NOT to run, but combining riding/running/strength/yoga/eliptical/swimming etc works very well for me. I can triathlon, run 5Ks etc. but driving a car for a couple of hours and I can barely walk at first . . . I also highly recommend PT. I still try to do some of those exercises and really help . . .

berner

I completely agree on a regimen of exercise to maintain strength in effected areas. I have cranky knee that complains now and then as well as a troublesome back. My remedy is daily exercises first thing in the AM to maintain the strength on the muscles and ligaments of the surrounding area. Eventually we are all dead but where I have choices I try to make good choices.

Carbonfiberboy 

I know a few cyclists, mostly broken runners, who ride with arthritis in the knees and/or ankles. Their practice is 600mg before the ride and gear low enough to be able to spin a 90 or more cadence even when climbing.

If it were me, I'd take 1500mg of glucosamine sulfate 2X/day and work out at the gym, focusing on barbell squats and one-legged leg presses. High step-ups and lunges are good too. Here's a workout that just might help:
Legs Like Jessie's: Hilgenberg's 7-Move Workout
Start with low weights and gradually increase.

Rudy40

Wouldn't hurt to try a low inflammatory diet or rule out autoimmunity issues for any type of arthritis. Typical dietary culprits to try to eliminate start with refined cereal grains, liquid oils, excess sugar, iron fortified food, and alcohol. NSAIDS mask symptoms but do not address the cause. They are also thought to be disruptive to the gut where the majority of the immune system is located.

I have had good success with this approach to manage bilateral rotator cuff issues, cervical spine issues, and a creaky right hip. Much less pain, stiffness, and cracking/popping (crepitation). Not to mention losing and keeping off 70lbs for the past three years. I'm now 62. Exercise, of course.

Also, limited and targeted supplementation including magnesium and D3. Tumeric is my regular anti-inflammatory supp. I haven't taken an aleve, advil, aspirin, or tylenol in many years. Too much down side to those for me. Internal bleeding perhaps the worst. Even a 'baby aspirin' a day could be a problem if an 'older rider' had just a minor fall that involved a head injury. Brain bleeds and blood thinners can be fatal.

I think it was Aristotle who said, "If diet is right, medicine is of no need. If diet is wrong, medicine is of no use."

Cheers!

nobodyhere

ITBS is often overlooked as a cause of leg joint pain.

In my case severe, almost cripplingly painful trochanteric (hip) bursitis has been 95% relieved by targeted stretching and rolling on a hard cylindrical foam roller. It is a wonderful, non-medication solution for me. ITBS can be caused by bicycling and muscle imbalances.

StanSeven

This. What you need is a doctor, could be podiatrist or expert fitter as well, that can spot what's wrong with your movements. Then you get corrections and exercises to make things stronger

JohnJ80

Well, I agree with you about the knee strengthening and being able to make it strong again, but I disagree with you on the "deterioration process" and I'm living proof.

I tore my right ACL in 1973 when surgery wasn't really an option. I religiously wore a brace for all sports or when it was at risk. Two years ago, I was experiencing knee pain and was pretty sure it was a torn meniscus. It wasn't. Turns out it was another problem related to a misbalance in muscle groups causing the pain. My orthopedic surgeon did MRI's and XRays and told me that my knee was "pristine" other than missing the ACL. She says the literature seems to indicate that braces may not provide any clinical benefit in people like me, but she then said that are many "copers" like me who do find ways around it and that braces seem to often be part of the equation. According to her, she cannot tell without MRI's that there is a difference between my knees in terms of function (no deterioration).

J.

Tandem Tom

I decided to put a hold on the brace that they were going to make up. I am going to start working on strength training on a very regular basis. One thing I did do the other day while riding with a few people, a fellow mentioned my leg extension did not look right. So I raised my saddle by 5mm and it has helped me knee! Actually I think my seatpost may have dropped a bit.

avidone1

zjrog

n

I Have to stretch my ITB on the left side frequently. After I had that knee replaced, I could feel the ITB "snap" across the joint. Keeping it stretched, using a roller, and the deceptively strong hands of a lady friend (I have bruises down the side of my thigh when she is done!) I don't notice it so much.

Interesting you mention the hip bursa. I recently had my ortho give me a cortisone shot into the bursa. Now I will spend a bit more time rolling the right side as well.

nobodyhere

The cortisone shots realy did not help me much. I stretch and roll daily even if I don't think I need it and have no pain. Prevention.

MikeD1

For sure, seat height is VERY important to minimize stress/pain in the knees. I can feel it almost instantly if my seat is even a couple of mm off. Good luck with the strength training, I'm betting that and correct seat height will help a lot!

SlowSpinner

I have bad knees. The right one started hurting the more I rode. A professional fitting found that I needed a 2 mm pedal extension on the right side. That solved the knee pain during riding. Just something to consider.

JohnJ80

Yep, I agree. First place to look. Generally an easy fix.

J.