This afternoon I was diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in my right knee which is a bit of a shock as I’m only 36. I’ve been advised to swap the mountain bike for a road bike but I’m determined to keep off-roading unless it becomes impossible.

I have been told to invest in a decent knee support that I can use for cycling, walking, every day etc and was wondering if anyone can recommend any. Have looked online and the choices are bewildering.

Cheers

Hmm – usual advice for OA knees is to strengthen the muscles around the knee and keep as active as possible….

What profession diagnosed it and provided the advice?

If it was my knee, I would keep on with the mtbing and forget about the knee support.

It was diagnosed by my doctor. I’ve always had problems with the knee but have spent the last 6 weeks with it clicking and clunking and quite a lot of pain.

Pain along the top of the tibia?

Mostly along the left side of the knee, sometimes at the bottom

I’d be after a second opinion on that one if it was me. They might be correct with their diagnosis, but they might not be. Maybe see if they can refer you to physio.

Ok thanks will do. Still going to try a support for now as I could do with something to help even just for walking the dog etc.

Sounds like BS from where I’m sitting (I’m a GP with a bit of an interest in sports medicine). Time for a second opinion. I’d suggest you forget the knee support for now, long term it may make things worse.

I’ve been advised to swap the mountain bike for a road bike

Why? Makes no sense whatsoever.

bgd, hopefully my tale will give you so hope?

Aged 20 I injured my knee playing football, then spent 3 years waiting for someone to tell me what was wrong and 2 years on waiting list for op (back in the good old days of the NHS)

So at 25 had an ACL replacement, whilst in hospital bed reading a mountain biking mag the surgeon came on his rounds, he took one look at the mag and said “you can forget doing any of that again” I was also told that chances are I would have OA by the time I was 40, as the joint had been worn in the 5 years I was waiting for the op!

As soon as I could (encouraged by physio) I began cycling, turbo at first then road and eventually off road, now it’s about the only thing I can do, walking even short distances gives me knee pain.

The Donjoy knee support (I think it was called) which I was given at the hospital is no help at all, uncomfortable to wear and does not prevent joint pain.

Anyhow I’m 45 know and still cycle between 120-150 miles a week, completed Le-Jog in 2009 and rode the 7 day TransWales event in 2010, have completed 400k Audax rides and 12hr TT’s.

So my advice would be if it don’t hurt do it, I firmly believe that regular excercise on mine is what’s keeping it going, and with cycling being non load bearing there’s not many better ways out there to excercise, I also do weights a couple of times a week to keep the muscle strength up.

Anyway that’s enough of my ramblings, get your bike out tomorrow and go for a ride 😉

lots of people say its placebo but after blowing my acl and getting lots of knee pain I started exercising{why I took up mtb in the 1st place} and taking glucosamine and chondritin, anyway some time passed and I thought this stuff isn’t doing anything so stopped taking it, 6 months later sure enough knee’s hurting all the time again and I’m at the doc’s having xrays convinced my knee is worn out, turns out all the bones are in good shape, start taking the glucosamine again and doing regular exercise and I feel great again…..

I only use my donjoy brace for snowboarding its a bit much for everything else

When I had most of my cartlidge hacked out I was told that cycling was beneficial and that braces worked to stop twisting etc. I have spent years looking for a knee support though. What I need is something to remove the knee joint from my leg, (you know what I mean!!) transfering some weight from my thigh to my calf. Most supports don’t really do this. Just try some sort of neoprene wrapp around thing with some stiffener down the side. Use 2 if needed.
Majority opinion has it that you should avoid higher gears and twiddle more to prevent stress on your knee. I find the opposite helps. Moving the joint a lot of times fast with little resistance is more uncomfortable that slower with more pressure.
Mt MTb also made things worse as the design put me further behind the BB whereas my road bike pulled me forward a bit and the leverages were different.

Both knees borked here, cycling acually helps me I get a lot more discomfort without it.
You have some stuff loose in there, maybe from the OA maybe not, it needs at least a flush out.
As already said you need a 2nd opinion.

The new evidence with braces seems to be that they work by actually allowing certain muscles to be innactive and essentially get lazy. They are a mechanical support for what your muscles should be supporting. As far as I am aware in most cases the role of the brace can be provided with thorough rehab/ physiotherapy exercises without important muscles wasting away and forgetting their job more long term. Of course others may argue but I’d get a second opinion regardless.

Yep,as another owner of a dodgy knee (cartledge removed 20 years ago) I’d say b@lls to a support too. Good for keeping swelling down, but you don’t want to rely in it for actual ‘support’; that’s what the plethora of muscles in your leg are for.

If I were you I’d be after a second opinion on the diagnosis and physio referral anyway. If you can’t get a physio referral, and you can afford it, consider seeing a physio privately. you’re probably looking at about £45 for 45 minutes.

Had bits of cartlidge and knee fragments removed when I was 18. Never really been right since and have arthritis in both kness, but If I am off the bike for a long time they get worse.

I found knee supports to be useless on the bike

Incomplete info alert. Knee braces etc crap on bike although some nice neoprene knee pads keep them warm if needed. I need a support when walking long distances, down hill or with a load. its really screwing my hill walking.

Sore knees like to be warm! 😀 Knee warmers, 3/4 bib tights and the like all help on the bike but make you look a bit daft in town 😀 Maybe get a knee “support” may help you keep warm in these situations.

Knee warmers is a good point actually, I wear mine whenever it gets to anything like ‘mildly chilly’.

As the owner of a fine pair of OA knees I’d say get a second opinion and just keep riding. And get a singlespeed, really.
I’ve also had the experience of being written off by useless doctors, more than 20 years ago.

Diagnosed with mild OA 15yrs ago – advised to cycle/stay active (I can, therefore, hold the GP responsible for the £££££££££’s I’ve, subsequently, spent on bikes/biking!). Glucosamine/chondroitin + knee warmers have, possibly, been contributory to it not getting any worse.

And get a singlespeed, really.

Yep, really seems to help my meniscus-damaged knee. It’s spinning that gets to it, rather than pedal mashing. That, and swimming.

But yes, second opinion needed. I was told I had muscle injuries until I finally got an MRI

I’d seek at least an x-ray to see if radiographically you have OA. It’s hard to diagnose it just from pain alone. Tell your doctor to refer you for an X-ray to see if there’s any joint space norrowing due to cartilage degradation.