A week and a half ago, my right knee started to hurt. Within 24 hours, I could barely walk. Rested it, elevated it and iced it but the pain continued. Went in for an x-ray and the diagnosis is calcification of the knee cartilage. Doctor was surprised, given the extent of damage, that this was my first serious bout with pain.

I've had minor knee pain over the years but it had all but disappeared since I started cycling a little over three years ago. This really caught me off guard. I'm being referred to an orthopedic surgeon and will see what my options are. I'll ask to have the other knee looked at as I assume it is in the same condition.

The good news is that, while painful, using the knee isn't causing further damage. And, now that the swelling has gone down, taking Alleve has eliminated most of the pain so I can get on with life while determining next steps.

And the better news is that I'm getting back in the saddle tomorrow. Coincedentally, I'd won a bid on eBay for a Shimano 105 compact crankset a few days prior to my knee flaring up (I finally admited to myself that it makes more sense for me than a standard crankset) and had time to install it on my road bike while I was laid up. Should be a bit easier on the knees and give me lower gearing when I'm ready to hit the hills again.

Anyone else here been down this road? I'd appreciate any insight or suggestions from someone with experience.