PhateX1337

So I started developing knee pains in my right knee the week of Thanksgiving and it has not gotten any better. When looking down on your right knee from above, it occurs in the front lower left part of the knee just outside of the kneecap. I have not changed my position in the past year, and as far as I know nothing has come loose and changed at all. Even my cleats have been on for at least 6 months.

Every time I ride now the next few days this pain is pretty bad and I feel it when walking, going up and down stairs, and just raising my leg from 90 degrees bent to straightening it out.

Any ideas as to what could be causing this/what is going on?

Thanks in advance for any help!

waysidekoi

I have had the exact symptoms on my left knee. I went to get a bike fit/readjustment and they found that my saddle was too high. After some trial and error, I figured that my saddle was also too far forward so I slid it back a little bit which seemed to ease the pain.

Usually after 5 miles or so the pain lessens during the ride, but I don't know if the pain is a result of the cold weather or some kind of poor form that has caught up to me.

Try adjusting your saddle. Pain below the knee can be attributed to saddle height, while pain on the outside of the knee is usually a cleat adjustment. Definitely seek your LBS for a fit. Let me know how it goes

By the way, which leg is stronger for you? You're right or your left? Mine's my right

rollin

Riding more than usual? colder than usual? Ride harder than usual?

try here:
https://www.roadcycling.com/training/kneepain.shtml

ridethecliche

https://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

martinrjensen

FWIW I had knee pain in both knees on my rides until I lowered my saddle. Curiously, I could ride fine and didn't really feel any pain then, but off the bike I could feel it, mainly going up and down stairs. My pain was behind the knee cap though. I went back and revisited my saddle height on all my bikes and lowered it so I have 15 degrees bend in my legs at maximum stroke and after a month, no more knee pain. This may not have anything to do with your knee but you never know. Some things take time to show up. As I said once I lowered my saddle I didn't feel any improvement for at least a month.

PhateX1337

So I checked the height of my saddle and it appeared to be about half an inch lower than the measurement I had written down, not sure if it slipped or what. Anyway, I fixed that and rode on the rollers for 45 minutes tonight to no avail. The knee kept hurting more and more as the ride went on and now it is killing me and hurts to walk once again.

Is that enough to say that seat adjustment did not fix it since it's still bad pain, or is the pain just coming back because it was still injured even though I wasn't feeling any pain today?

Secondly, is there any significance to the fact that this pain is occurring only in my right knee; my left knee feels just as normal as usual.

Thanks!

furiousferret

What part of the knee is it? Even though its a small part of the body its very complex.

The only time I've had knee pain related to the bike getting a pedal with float fixed it.

martinrjensen

Well really, it's starting to sound like maybe you smacked your knee and don't remember it if it's only the one. I'm sure that there are differences between the geometry of your legs and one side could be out while the other side is OK but if this just came on I would suspect something else. I end up smacking myself all over the place and don't remember it at the time. Maybe a couple days later I start to notice this nagging pain somewhere and by then I have totally forgotten what I did to cause it. If this is the case, well a doctors visit isn't out of the question. Also alternate heat and icings on the knee. NOT just heat. It has to have the icing down also. see if that helps. a doctor can tell you if you need to take some time off to let it heal.

JonnyHK 

My knee pains are mostly as a result of having a tight illio-tibial-band (spelling?) - or ITB. Common problem for cyclists and crew rowers. Tightness up the side of the leg can cause the knee to do odd things. Something else to pop on the list of possibles.

Consult your physio for a 'proper' diagnosis (as opposed to a bunch of random internet freaks dispensing advice!).

PhateX1337

When looking at the knee from above it is on the lower left side of the knee just outside the edge of the kneecap.

Would the IT band cause pain on the inside part of the knee? I thought that was only on the outside, but maybe if affects everything...

furiousferret

The IT band is on the outer part and would affect the upper region. Sounds like if its on the inside and lower its either a ligament or muscle that needs rest. Suck it up and rest it for at least a week. (Of course this is the hardest thing to tell a cyclist)

martinrjensen

I don't think I like being called "a Random Internet Freak". There is nothing Random about me. I think I did suggest that going to a doctor wouldn't be a bad idea also.