A good old front knee pain thread
 

During a century on June first I hurt the tendon in the front of my knee. Strangely, enough my fit has not been adjusted in over a year with plenty of centuries ridden on the same bike with that fit.
I rested a couple of days and rode two more weeks without any pain.
Then it came back with a vengence. I researched and moved my saddle back a bit and the seat post up. I was unhappy with my leg extension anyhow. I have been keeping my cadence up quite a bit higher and that seems to help. I am also wearing leg warmers to keep my knee a bit warmer.

Now the pain is slowly fading. That is except for in the morning.

I commute 28 miles each way and do not stretch until I get to work.
My mornings have been like follows:
-Miles 1-5 a small twinge in the knee
-Miles 5-14 pain increasing to an uncomfortable level until I stop and take a break
-Miles 14-20 pain increases again until I take a break
-Miles 20-28 the pain starts decreasing until it disappears

The ride home does not have any pain.

The only thing I can figure is that between both rides I stretch.
Would something like warming up for 5 miles and then stopping to stretch help?
What should I stretch specifically? I can't think of any of my stretches that would affect the knee. Maybe it is something attached to my knee that helps? Like my hamstring or IT band stretches?

I've got money that says you've got a muscle imbalance in your VMO/VL/VI...or basically your quads. The VMO, the inner most muscle of the quad tends to be underdeveloped in cyclists and runners as compared to the outer muscle (VL).

You can correct this through weight training. I used to have a nasty case of it, but doing weights in the off season seems to keep it at bay.

For more info google PFPS (patello femoral pain syndrome, aka runner's knee).

That would not be surprising. I rarely do anything besides cycling.
Yet another reason why I should change my off season routine.

I googled PFPS and have a few ideas on treatment. A few additional stretches as well. Fortunately, it is slowly improving.
It is just odd that it hurts in the morning but not on the ride home.

I'd experience the same thing sometimes...it really came and went. One day I'd be able to ride without pain, other days would be excruciating. Shouldn't take too long to remedy hopefully. IIRC I was okay in a month or two with some rest off the bike, and focused weights.

I am always much stiffer on morning rides (or runs for that matter). My body seems to really stiffen up at night and none of my muscles and joints like to get going right away, meaning more pains on morning rides.

Not sure if you are generally like that, but something to think about.

BTW, now that thunderstorm season is here, I am trying to do my long rides very early, but it is just torturous. It is cool to be on a mountainside just after sunrise though.

I noticed my knee pain seemed to be slightly off center and I adjusted my cleat a bit. Not a single bit of pain whatsoever on the ride home. I am just hoping that my Mt Evans ride works out. That will be a difficult way to test if my knee is recovering. Oh well. If I have to turn around I have to turn around.

Please post your Mt. Evans experience. I really want to do it soon. I thought this weekend was looking good, but I forgot that my wife has a triathlon early Saturday morning.

Will do.
I am taking a recovery day tomorrow to prepare for it. That and plenty of ice and ibuprofen. Hopefully, my leg continues to feel good tomorrow and Saturday.

I took a day off to rest my knee today. Mine is ITB pain. A day off now and then is not so bad.

Good luck with it.

Thank you

At the very least I hope to make it to echo lake from Bergen Park. If all goes well I should make it to the summit. This knee is the big variable for me.

I'd be very cautious about diagnosing myself. I would go to a PT if there is any further trouble. With all due respect to the advice you've gotten here, I got a TON of advice on my knee pblm here and most of it was off-base (though well-intentioned). It wasn't til I got fit by a professional and got physical therapy that the issue began to go away.

Good luck!

I actually solved mine but I think the weight training is still a good idea for the off season.
My issue was a combination of the saddle to far forward, too low, and a new cleat I installed.
My right knee is splayed outwards and I did not have it tweaked properly so my knee pain was to the front and left. A few adjustments later and I recovered to ride up Mt Evans.