Cipollini

well..i started to have kneepain(around patella area) 3 weeks ago and rest for few days before going out for another century ride. Thats a stupid mistake. After the ride, the pain got me again. Until now, it is still painful if i use heavy gears to cycle or when i just squat down(some squeky or rusty sound can be heard around my kneecap area when i was about to stand up). At first, i thought it was patella tendinitis or some other knee problem but im not a doctor. I came across some articles about knee problem and some of them suggested icing the knee, do some stretching and of course, rest until the pain is gone. It's already been 2 weeks and sometimes it still pain. I know that the best solution is to get it checked by doctor but which doctor should i go for? Orthopaedics? I have no idea.

sch

Orthopedics best bet. Depends on availability of pods in your area. Chondromalacia patellae is what it sounds like.
Steve

CapeRoadie

Sports chiropractor is a better bet. At the orthopaedist, the only treatment you'll receive is drugs, surgery, or a referral to a chiropractor or physical therapist. That's fine, but with a good sports chiropractor, you'll get a diagnosis, and likely the same therapy you'd get at a physical therapist. Chiropractic is the safest form of therapy out there offered by a physician. Plus it's one-stop shopping. My chiropractor fixed my chondromalacia patella (right knee) with ultrasound, muscle stim, and rehab exercises. He gave me the best at-home exercise program I've ever had, and I've been to a lot of physical therapists and orthopaedists in my time.

supcom

Orthopedist. Preferably one that specializes in sports related injury.

DannoXYZ 

I think you need a group-effort:

1. sports chiropractor
2. exercise physiologist
3. physical therapist
4. orthopedist

There was actually a sports-centre here that had them all and they each focus on a separate area of specialty. I was taken out for over 2 months when I started biking due to pulling my back out. The doctor prescribed pain-killers and bed-rest; recommended I stop riding. That was fine since I couldn't even lift my arm without pain. The PT and chiropractor actually helped the recovery rather than just mask the pain symptoms with drugs. When I was well enough to walk again, the PT and physiologist helped design a gym program to strengthen my back. My legs were super-strong from 13 years of running track, cross-country, football (American soccer). But none of those sports required much back-strength compared to cycling, so that's why I hurt it. So another month of vigorous strength-training in the gym with weights and machines strengthen my back-muscles by 4-5x. Finally, I was ready to get back on the bike and I haven't had any back issues since.

So... I suspect you have multiple areas that you need to look into, immediate and long-term.

1. therapy and recovery
2. fit - your seat may be too low and too far back, causes many more problems than being too high and too far forward
3. form - you may be mashing big gears, higher-RPMs in circular motion will require lower peak muscle-efforts for the same power-output, thus relieving the load on the knees

You should back up and examine the big-picture and cure the issue and causes. An in-the-moment fix of the pain symptoms may still have the potential of recurring injuries. Good luck.

duane041

I misread the title to the thread and thought you were referring to a 'witch doctor'. That would've been cool. He could brew up something in a bubbling cauldron and then don a mask and scare the willies out of you with some freaked-out dance. You'll forget all about your knee.

Cipollini

well, the first pain i had was at around the kneecap area. And during that ride, i set my seatpost higher than before(about 1cm more) and things were okay during first 2 hours. But, im using heavy gears on uphill and that's when i hurted my patella. Not only my kneecap, but also i felt some pain behind my knee(a sign of seatpost set too high). The next ride, i set my seatpost height back to normal and the pain behind my knee was gone. But the pain around the patella area still bugging until now.

Only Orthopedist doctor is available at my area so i dont think there is any chiropractor or any sports doctor here. I heard that MRI scan can be done to pinpoint out what's the problem with my knee and the cost is very expensive here!(about 2/3 of my salary). A friend of mine, a trialthon athlete, recommends me to take rest and do stretching. I hope that could help me as much as possible. Anyway, im going to see orthopedist. Thanks for your guys help!

Cipollini

by the way, i just check the website of the hospital around my area. https://www.mahkotaorthopaedics.com/home.htm

It seems like they have those facilities.

Impoliticus

I second your friends stretching suggestion. Stretching has really helped my knee pain. Make sure to stretch the quads, hamstrings, and calfs. Although it is taking FOREVER for my knee to feel completely healed.

Cipollini

yes...stretching is great to improve our flexibility!