More internet diagnoses please!

stopped_clock

Don't worry, I've every intention of going to the appropriate professionals. Keeping it short - sore knee (and sometimes hip) after a cycle. I reckon after some cursory research it's the IT band.

Should my first point of call be:
- my LBS, to check the fit of my bike?
- a physio?

And will "any old physio" understand the bike-specific issues I'm having?

Stark

Bike fit could be a problem. As for the physio, save your money and start by stretching it (make sure you've warmed up first).

There are plenty of stretches if you google them, but my favourite is to stand next to a wall with my arm against it. I then cross the leg nearest the wall over the leg opposite the wall so they're meeting at the knees. Pushing my hip outwards will then stretch the band. I like this stretch as you can do it anywhere. There are other stretches that involve you lying on the ground to stretch.

stopped_clock

Cheers Stark, will give that a go. I remember a poster in a similar thread recently where stretching solved the problem completely.

DirkVoodoo

If you are still unsure, please go to your GP or a physio. Don't self diagnose or rely on the internet, get a professional opinion. A small problem could become worse if it is not properly diagnosed.

stopped_clock

Connection dropped and I lost a perfectly good post. Trying again:

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Don't self diagnose or rely on the internet, get a professional opinion.

Thanks, although you're preaching to the converted on that one. I will eventually go... Although I'm fairly sure what's wrong, I still don't know why, and that's the real question.

I'm also aware of the problem of "deciding" what's wrong with me and ignoring any other possibilities, so when I do chat to the physio, I'll only mention symptoms.

johnser

What pedals are you using at the moment? It could be that your foot is at the wrong angle and causing this pain.

Check bikeradar as they have an article on setting up your pedals correctly.

Caroline_ie

If you want to have good professional advise, I recommend ( again ) Paul Tansey who is a life long cyclist and Phisio in Dundrum above Joe Daly cycling shop. 01-298-6246 - many cyclists go to him because he knows his stuff ...

Funkyzeit

It's worrying your hip is at you as well as your knee - defo go to a Physio even if it's just once for the sake of some rehab tips/stretches.

G'luck !

Stark

Funkyzeit wrote:

It's worrying your hip is at you as well as your knee

The ITB connects your knee to your hip. If it gets tight, then it will rub off the joints at both ends.

stopped_clock

Cheers for the replies!

The pedals were my first suspects - I went clipless over the summer. I changed my cleat alignment quite radically for a bit though with no difference.

I've also changed how I cycle, in that up to the summer I was commuting for about an hour each way most days and now I'm cycling for exercise - so less frequent but higher intensity.

I'm not in Dublin (or Ireland) much - I'm temporarily in the north of England. I probably should have said that... I'm going to get in touch with the local cycling club here (north of England) and see if they have a physio.

Bizarrely, running seems to help things.

zzzzzzzz

stopped_clock wrote: »

Cheers for the replies!

The pedals were my first suspects - I went clipless over the summer. I changed my cleat alignment quite radically for a bit though with no difference.

I've also changed how I cycle, in that up to the summer I was commuting for about an hour each way most days and now I'm cycling for exercise - so less frequent but higher intensity.

I'm not in Dublin (or Ireland) much - I'm temporarily in the north of England. I probably should have said that... I'm going to get in touch with the local cycling club here (north of England) and see if they have a physio.

Bizarrely, running seems to help things.

+1 on the Paul Tansey recommendation. I've been seeing him for the last few months because of a similar (sounding) problem.

What part of your knee is it? Front, back, inside, outside? Have you been pushing big gears?

stopped_clock

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

What part of your knee is it? Front, back, inside, outside? Have you been pushing big gears?

Guilty on the big gears! I've probably also done too much too soon etc.

It's the sort of 'stringy' bit on the outside-back of the knee.

Sounds like it's a reasonably big deal if you've been seeing Paul Tansey for a few months...

stopped_clock

don't know if anyone will care about the inner workings of my knee, but I thought it was quite interesting...

I went to the physio a few days ago, and he turned out to be a cyclist himself.

What seems to be happening is that I have an over-pronating foot. This sticks out to compensate, knee twists in, hip out, twist in back. Results are pressure on leg joints, sore points in back and neck (unbeknownst to me and pointed out by physio). All this is while walking etc rather than cycling.

Apparently the leaned-forward position in cycling reduces the support from back and core muscles, so it becomes an issue on the bike.

I'm going to see a podiatrist in a few weeks to see if I need orthotics. It's the physio's opinion (as a non-podiatrist) that simply wearing orthotics in my shoes all the time should sort me out.

In the mean time, I'm using my small chain-ring a bit more...

zzzzzzzz

stopped_clock wrote: »

don't know if anyone will care about the inner workings of my knee, but I thought it was quite interesting...

I went to the physio a few days ago, and he turned out to be a cyclist himself.

What seems to be happening is that I have an over-pronating foot. This sticks out to compensate, knee twists in, hip out, twist in back. Results are pressure on leg joints, sore points in back and neck (unbeknownst to me and pointed out by physio). All this is while walking etc rather than cycling.

Apparently the leaned-forward position in cycling reduces the support from back and core muscles, so it becomes an issue on the bike.

I'm going to see a podiatrist in a few weeks to see if I need orthotics. It's the physio's opinion (as a non-podiatrist) that simply wearing orthotics in my shoes all the time should sort me out.

In the mean time, I'm using my small chain-ring a bit more...

Nice one! Hope that sorts it out for you.

I was just at the physio for the last time the other day. Just have to keep up the stretches/weights but the knee/leg is all sorted now so getting the miles in again! I think I'll take a trip out to roundwood this morning. WOOOO!

Raam

stopped_clock wrote: »

don't know if anyone will care about the inner workings of my knee, but I thought it was quite interesting...

I went to the physio a few days ago, and he turned out to be a cyclist himself.

What seems to be happening is that I have an over-pronating foot. This sticks out to compensate, knee twists in, hip out, twist in back. Results are pressure on leg joints, sore points in back and neck (unbeknownst to me and pointed out by physio). All this is while walking etc rather than cycling.

Apparently the leaned-forward position in cycling reduces the support from back and core muscles, so it becomes an issue on the bike.

I'm going to see a podiatrist in a few weeks to see if I need orthotics. It's the physio's opinion (as a non-podiatrist) that simply wearing orthotics in my shoes all the time should sort me out.

In the mean time, I'm using my small chain-ring a bit more...

I wear orthotics on the bike. For a while I was having some knee issues on the bike. I was wearing the orthotics while off the bike but never on it. Since I started wearing them on the bike, I've been fine.

Civilian_Target

Interestingly, I posted about a knee problem about a month ago. Went to a local knee doctor, who said it was probably badly positioned feet and told me to order these massive, bucket-shaped toestraps, forcing my feet into position while I cycle. They've really slowed me down, but they've also fixed the problem as they force my feet into a better position.

Simple problem really...