hi all,

my GF has just started biking. she’s been out almost every day for the past couple of weeks, but after her ride today her knees are really sore – and this with a big ride to glentress tomorrow.

they’re only sore when she bends them and feels pain on the knee cap. she says it’s a wee bit sensitive to the touch.

any advice? ice or heat? any quick cure to make GT bearable?

thanks!

if shes been out every day then a couple of days rest is probably needed – it could be water on the knee so no point aggravating it further.

Good chance that it’s a patellar tracking problem. A hell of a lot of females have that problem. One way to help it is to build up VMO muscle by working that last 30 degrees before your leg straightens.

rudedog – water on the knee – on both knees? my dad used to suffer, only one knee though. she will certainly take it easy, once tomorrow is out of the way!

Surrounded By Zulus – thanks for that. what kind of exercises would work the VMO muscle like that?

lie on the floor, stick a rolled up cushion under the knee then straighten the leg and hold it there – repeat 10 times holding for 10 secs, 3 sets, as often as is practical. will settle it down pretty quickly.

Stretching was going to be my suggestion, it’s what stops my knee pain. Too much riding and not enough other stuff makes for short hamstrings on me and pain.

So SBZ, long ride on the single speed, with several stiff uphills (all ridden standing) resulting in an occasional sharp pain behind and to the outside of the kneecap, and the knee locking painfully at night, what do you reckon that might be?

(Sorry for the hijack)

Meniscus tear. The locking suggests that. Difficult to be all that accurate without more info though.

Yeah, everything I read suggested similar. Pish. 🙁

plant your foot on the floor, bend your knee to 90 degrees ish, and put a twisting force through your knee – see if it’s sore. If it is then there’s your answer.

SBZ… ^^^^^ sounds very like my problem 💡 Also very sore when trying to go up/down stairs.
Doc recommended squats as a remedy ❓