knee pain

Knee pain is an extremely common complaint, and there are many causes. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause. If you have knee pain, some common causes include:
Arthritis, Liqament Injuries

Knee Pain Location

One way to classify knee pain (and identify possible solutions) is to look at the location of the pain.

• Anterior (see chondromalacia below)
  • Reasons
    • patellar tendonitis
    • patellofemoral syndrome
  • Causes
    • pushing BIG gears - cadence too low
    • saddle too low or too far forward
    • foot too far forward on the pedal
    • crank arms too long
    • leg length discrepancy with seat set for shorter leg
  • Possible solutions
    • ride at 75 rpm or higher
    • raise seat (in small increments of less than 5mm) or move seat back
    • move cleat forward 1 to 2 mm
    • shorten crank arms by 2.5 cm
    • set seat for longer, not shorter, leg with correction for the shorter leg

Treatment of Knee Pain

Knee pain generally develops slowly over a number of days and is not an emergency. Immediate care is always available at a walk in clinics, but it is more productive to see your primary care physician or a sports medicine physician as the first step.

Dealing with yourself will be the biggest issue. Competitive athletes have a "fear of rest" - yet rest is probably the single most effective treatment. Peer pressure to continue to ride doesn't help when you are trying to do the rioght thing for yourself (and your knee).

• First Aid

  As in any musculoskeletal injury, ice, elevation, and resting the knee are all helpful.

• Rehabilitation

  Take a few days off and then begin a limited riding program - cut back mileage by 20 - 30 % and spin at a high rpm and in a low gear for a week or two. And the same goes for leg work in the gym. Remember, if you push too hard, you just get to start over again. Mild stretching before and after the ride keep the muscles loose, and icing the knee after the ride may be beneficial as well.

• Drugs

  Tylenol or NSAIDs such as motrin are a good start. Motrin can be taken up to 800 mg 3 times a day for a few days, but then drop back to the recommended dose on the bottle. If you have a history of ulcer problems or develop GI side effects, either switch to tylenol (it helps pain but is not as good an antiinflamatory) or see your physician for one of the newer Cox-2 medications (Vioxx, Celebrex) which are much easier on the stomach.

• Prevention

How you can care

People overall are experiencing knee pain, most commonly caused by arthritis, in people as young as their 30's when at one time, this was associated mainly in the elderly. Weight bearing movement, which means repeated pounding on the knee with forces up to four to five times your body weight, is the most common reason for knee stress and pain. Over the years, this takes its toll in wear and tear on the knees. Exercise is vital - and in today's society necessary - to those who wish to avoid health problems such as diabetes, heart conditions and low blood pressure to name just a few. Therefore, it is imperative to learn how to avoid injury to your knees while still getting necessary exercise in your life.

Exercise is essential in today's society where technology and modern conveniences no longer require much physical exertion in many instances. As a result, society as a whole has become too sedentary. Being sedentary is more dangerous than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day and overall, the risk is even greater in those who do not exercise. The key is to not take your knee for granted and learn how to do exercises properly. Poor positioning of an exercise can do extensive damage to your knees. Always give special attention to the description of any specific exercise to avoid misalignment and strain to your knees. Proper exercise for the knee is imperative - get this manual, complete with pictures and quick, easy to understand procedures.

Tips:
1. Stay strong -- this is what the manual will teach you how to do using the quadriceps muscles to ease stress on the knee joint.
2. Mix up your exercise routines i.e., practice cross training, which implements a variety of activities.
3. Stay active.
4. Avoid risky activities, especially if you have had a previous knee injury.
5. Lose weight because excess weight accelerates existing osteoarthritis due to extra pressure on the knees. Example: If you lose just two pounds, the knee senses less force and "thinks" you have lost ten pounds!
6. Always wear good, quality shoes. Walking and running shoes should be changed after 500 miles of use, or in six to nine months.
7. Learn proper techniques (as previously mentioned) in all your exercises and activities.
8. If you have pre-existing knee problems, seek a professional for a customized workout most beneficial to your specific needs.
9. Add activities and new exercises cautiously. Be sure a movement is gentle on the knee.
10. Rest. Sometimes rest is the best thing we can do for our knees. Judge this by the way your knee is feeling. If you've been participating in regular exercise for some time, give it a rest for a day.

Please note: If you have any serious knee conditions, consult a medical professional immediately. This manual is for those experiencing annoying, every day knee pain commonly caused by typical, daily activities -- or lack of activity.