Anyone got any good experience for Sports Medicine Docs in the NW please?

>2y anterior knee pain related to cycling with no resolution. Tried several physios & bike fit & insoles all with no benefit. MRI & ultrasound normal. Seeing Orthopaedic surgeon on NHS who’s opinion is ‘well there is nothing on the scan so maybe we should just have a look with an arthroscope’. I’m not entirely convinced by this line of reasoning (although accept every type of imaging/investigation has its limitation).

I’m keen to see a sports medicine doctor (physician rather than a barber surgeon) but interested in experience of others. It’ll have to be private (*hurrrch spit*) but I don’t really think other people should pay their taxes so I can ride mountain bikes.

There’s a chap called Leon Creaney who comes up on google.

In the absence of any more specific recommendations, you could try Manchester Sports Medicine Clinic. Their shoulder specialist Len Funk is brilliant, but I don’t know anything about other specialisms.

Perhaps that’s where Leon Creasey does his private work?

Have they ruled out a patella imballance? I had one and let me tell you …. OUCH!!!
It was Ok when i walked but every time i got on my bike it was Agony, i saw a Physio between bolton and wigan called Stuart cosgrove (he’s on another level to any physio ive ever seen before) i was diagnsed treated and fixed in 2 weeks.
http://www.cosgrovephysiocentre.co.uk/
I cant recomend him highly enough, insist on only seeing him tho, the other physio’s there are nowhere near as good

Yes heard good things about Len Funk, sadly he’s not knees.

Yes I’ve had patella imbalance/maltracking banded around a bit. Physio aimed at VMO strengthening and stretching lateral bits (ITB etc). Can’t say it’s made much difference so either I’m not doing right or it the wrong treatment?

Leg extensions with heels together and toes facing as far out as comfortable, maintain tension on the muscle the whole set!

Might be worth contacting British Cycling to see if any of their medical team also does private work.

If anyone else comes down the same path:
Dr. Leon Creaney
Dr. John Rogers

Both have NHS and private work in Manchester

I am also struggling with this at the moment (have been since Christmas). My research and NHS physio suggest muscle imbalance causing patellafemoral pain syndrome (and it came on about a month after taking up single speeding funnily enough!)

I think I am finally on the mend now (managed to be pain free after a ride on Tuesday night!). Things I have been doing are:

1. Complete rest from the bike until I have been pain free for a week to let the inflammation go down a bit (this is the hardest part)
2. Stretches – especially quad, hamstring, IT band, glutes, hips, calf, hip flexors
3. VMO – plenty to try but my favourite has been the leg extensions in the gym using the machine. Just doing the top 20 degrees and feeling that I am pulling the weight up just by contracting my VMO.
4. Hip abductor – (weak VMO is likely from an alignment issue triggered from the hips or the ankles) – side leg lifts, side knee lifts and dropping/raising one side of pelvis while on a step
5. Leg/knee stability – This brings all the above together. Single leg squats with a real focus on knee tracking (at first mine would point inwards very easily despite being able to do the squats without issue)
6. Foam roller/sports massage on IT band and outer quad to loosen off any pressure pulling the knee cap over.

While riding I have been avoiding winter bibs as they put pressure on the knee cap and can affect its tracking slightly, focussing on my knee tracking while pedalling (especially out of the saddle) and then doing a full compliment of stretches, foam roller and ice pack on the knee after.