Sell the bike that doesn't fit you to pay for the Doctor. Really, can you afford to be crippled?

I try to limit whats carried on me to a few kilos(a little food in jersey pockets and sometimes a hydration backpack). Carrying a significant load will strain your butt, feet, knees and ankles.

You're riding too much, too far, too hard, and without the right saddle.

I should've also stated earlier that my saddle only bothers me when I wear a backpack (which also bothers my neck and back). The bike doesn't bother me very often except when I'm carrying extra weight.

Usually the knee pain is in the top of my knee. My knees have been bad for years though, and that's the main reason I went to cycling after jogging became too painful for me, because there's no impact, and it usually doesn't bother me unless my knees already hurt before I even start riding.

I've had all kinds of joint problems for years, even though I'm only 25. Most of it's due to stuff like woodcutting for a living and a few injuries. I've had chronic tendonitis in my hand for about 5 years now, my knees have been messed up just as long, and I have sporadic neck and back problems from time to time too. My ankle's only bother me on occasion, and this is by the far the worst one's hurt, and the longest it's hurt without being caused by something like a twisted ankle. I plan on staying off the bike till I'm better, but eventually I'll be riding the same bike (unloaded). Doctors in the past have tried to put me on all kinds of pain medications for my other symptoms, and I refused. I've accepted the fact that I'll most likely hurt to some extent the rest of my life, and I can deal with that just as long as I can still do the things in life I enjoy without unbearable pain. For the time being though, I'm relaxing and icing my ankle, and I'll see a doctor one way or another on Monday or Tuesday if there's not a considerable improvement.

I read the symptoms for achilles tendonitis, and it said that you usually get a knot on the back of your leg. Mainly the front of my ankle is swollen though, and the swelling and fever has gone down quite a bit since two days ago. Yesterday I was actually hobbling pretty decent, but this morning I was back to being able to barely walk, despite the fact that the swelling, fever, and redness is still less than it was.

I do appreciate all the advice. I can be extremely stubborn at times (and possibly just stupid) about continuing on with things whether I'm hurt or not, and if you people wouldn't have stressed the seriousness of my injury, I would've already tried riding some more with the false hopes that it would heal me faster and just end up furthering my injury.

I went ahead and went to the doctor, and they didn't really know what it is, but think it's cellulitis or something like that. They gave me a painful shot of antibiotics in the butt cheek, and I take an antibiotic once a day. I go back on Sunday for a follow-up. Hopefully it is just some sort of infection or something that will go away with antibiotics instead of a physical injury that takes a long time to heal up.

You're very young to be in such pain. At your age, I was in great physical shape but now that I'm past 40, the joints are just starting to feel pain. I'm doing everything I can to take care of all these conditions. I can tell you this, by the time you hit my age, this pain may leave you disabled for life. It doesn't get better as you get older but the opposite.

My father didn't take care of himself as a young man. The last 20 years of his life were the worse. He left this world at 57 years of age.

You wear a backpack for touring??

I hope it's not heavily loaded. A small backpack might be okay but anything more than a very light load and you're putting a lot of unnecessary strain on your body. You don't have to buy expensive panniers, you can make your own or buy some used ones on eBay, but get that weight off your back.

Best wishes for your healing and finding a painfree way to cycle.

It sounds like a physical injury. Take care of your knees, or what's left of them at any rate.

If it turns out to be something other than cellulitis, don't be shy about asking for referral to a sports medicine specialist or at least a physiotherapist with an interest in cycling.