Problems on the outside of the knee

Hello all,

Lately I've been experiencing pain on the outside of my left leg. I
thought at first it might have been the running that I've started to do
(thinking about doing a sprint tri) so I stopped that for a while. That
has not changed my condition at the moment. After about 2 hours I can
start to feel the pain. It really does not matter if I hammer hard or
just spin, it just starts to hurt. I went to my doctor and he moved my
knee every sort of direction but I experienced no pain. The only time I
did was when I started to bend my knee back and then forward. I can put
weight on it without issue and after a day my knee is back to normal.
I've been riding steadily now for about 6 months and and put about 2000
miles. I really have not done any sort of structured training until the
start of this year when I started to do some of the spinervals in hopes
to be a better climber. Anyhow, I did some research and thought my
changing my position might do some help but I thought I would just ask
to see if anyone else had similar issues. I've also started to do some
ITB specific stretching. I do know that I can't exceed 2 hours, since
the first the pain happened I was into the third hour of training ride
when the pain become unbearable and I still had to climb Torrey Pines
to get home. I got home, but it was extremely painful afterwards.
Anyhow, thanks in advance.


Ian in SanDiego

P.S. Riding in the rain today wasn't so bad, just wish the cars did
spray the damn water on me and my bike

On 20 Feb 2005 16:22:36 -0800, wrote:

Hello all,

Lately I've been experiencing pain on the outside of my left leg.
yes, you're right. itb is a son-of-a-gun. your doc didn't
know how to diagnose it. he needed to press on the
outside while you moved your lower leg thru the rom.
it would hurt like hell somewhere along the way.

you'll find all kinds of help on the net. stretching the itb.
took me a while to come across a note that said
a possible cause is weak gluteus medius muscle.
so, i did some gluteus medius specific exercise
(abduction of the leg). BINGO. fixed. pain which
was excruciating was gone by the next day. it's
been 6 weeks now and it hasn't returned. i keep
doing the abduction exercise but i'm afraid of getting too
strong with that muscle and creating a different problem.
so i'm not increasing the weight anymore. just the reps.
....thehick

Frank,

I was wondering if you could describe the exercise. I've seen a ton of
itb exercises and I'm not sure which ones to actually stick too.

Thanks,

Ian

On 20 Feb 2005 16:22:36 -0800, wrote:

Lately I've been experiencing pain on the outside of my left leg. I
thought at first it might have been the running that I've started to do
(thinking about doing a sprint tri) so I stopped that for a while. That
has not changed my condition at the moment. After about 2 hours I can
start to feel the pain. It really does not matter if I hammer hard or
just spin, it just starts to hurt.

There will be lots of talk about cleat position and Q factor for you
problem and I'll leave that to others.

I get a similar problem to yours and found it happened most in cool
weather. I started wearing a knee warmer in temperatures below 60
degrees and the problem doesn't happen.

If you went through the park instead of on the road at Torry Pines,
you wouldn't get sprayed by the cars but your knees would like you
less.

Lately I've been experiencing pain on the outside of my left leg. I
thought at first it might have been the running that I've started to do
(thinking about doing a sprint tri) so I stopped that for a while. That
has not changed my condition at the moment. After about 2 hours I can
start to feel the pain. It really does not matter if I hammer hard or
just spin, it just starts to hurt.
ITB specific stretching. I do know that I can't exceed 2 hours, since
the first the pain happened I was into the third hour of training ride
when the pain become unbearable and I still had to climb Torrey Pines
to get home. I got home, but it was extremely painful afterwards.

I had knee pain - outside of the knee on the bump below the knee cap.

I went to see the sports med people with UC Davis, in Sacramento. The
Doc and staff were very tuned into bike related medicine and fit
issues.

They told me I had an IT band problem. Moved my saddle forward to
relieve knee stress, had me go to pedals with less rotation, told me
to keep the cadence high when climbing, to climb out of the saddle to
keep knee strees low, use ice on the knee after riding, use ibuprofen
after riding if needed, and to strech glutes and IT band.

The Doc said that the recovery process will take 6 weeks or more but
didn't restrict my riding.

The streching has helped and trying not to hammer on rides helps as
well.

My problem would appear in the winter - I think when it's cold out I
try to keep warm by hammering. Now I dress warmer and ride easier.

Al Sharff
remove the * from to reply

Lately I've been experiencing pain on the outside of my left leg. I
thought at first it might have been the running that I've started to do
(thinking about doing a sprint tri) so I stopped that for a while. That
has not changed my condition at the moment. After about 2 hours I can
start to feel the pain. It really does not matter if I hammer hard or
just spin, it just starts to hurt.

Don't overlook the possibility that it could be as simple as moving the
cleat further back on the shoe. Give it a shot; it's worked for many
(including myself some years ago), doesn't cost anything, and really has no
downside. All we're talking about is fore/aft positioning, not Q-factor, not
angle, nothing that has to be thought a whole lot about.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello all,

Lately I've been experiencing pain on the outside of my left leg. I
thought at first it might have been the running that I've started to do
(thinking about doing a sprint tri) so I stopped that for a while. That
has not changed my condition at the moment. After about 2 hours I can
start to feel the pain. It really does not matter if I hammer hard or
just spin, it just starts to hurt. I went to my doctor and he moved my
knee every sort of direction but I experienced no pain. The only time I
did was when I started to bend my knee back and then forward. I can put
weight on it without issue and after a day my knee is back to normal.
I've been riding steadily now for about 6 months and and put about 2000
miles. I really have not done any sort of structured training until the
start of this year when I started to do some of the spinervals in hopes
to be a better climber. Anyhow, I did some research and thought my
changing my position might do some help but I thought I would just ask
to see if anyone else had similar issues. I've also started to do some
ITB specific stretching. I do know that I can't exceed 2 hours, since
the first the pain happened I was into the third hour of training ride
when the pain become unbearable and I still had to climb Torrey Pines
to get home. I got home, but it was extremely painful afterwards.
Anyhow, thanks in advance.


Ian in SanDiego

P.S. Riding in the rain today wasn't so bad, just wish the cars did
spray the damn water on me and my bike

Paul Kopit wrote:

I get a similar problem to yours and found it happened most in cool
weather. I started wearing a knee warmer in temperatures below 60
degrees and the problem doesn't happen.

I have the exact problem in winter. When I start riding in shorts it goes away.

Ante Smokrovic
========================


ICQ: 5924617

wrote:
I've also started to do some
ITB specific stretching. I do know that I can't exceed 2 hours, since
the first the pain happened I was into the third hour of training
ride
when the pain become unbearable and I still had to climb Torrey Pines
to get home.

ITB problems can be wicked, as others have pointed out. The stretching
should help (it did me).

It's odd that it only occurs on the left side. You might want to be
checked for a muscle imbalance (the exercises should help) or an actual
length difference in your legs. My left leg is 1/2" longer than my
right, and my left ITB gives me hell in cold weather and when I've been
off the bike too long. My right ITB has never given me problems.

Jeff

P.S. I moved from San Diego to the Portland area to get away from the
dry weather. Now you guys have gotten twice as much rain as us! That's
karma for you.

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Don't overlook the possibility that it could be as simple as moving
the
cleat further back on the shoe. Give it a shot; it's worked for many
(including myself some years ago), doesn't cost anything, and really
has no
downside. All we're talking about is fore/aft positioning, not
Q-factor, not
angle, nothing that has to be thought a whole lot about.


Mike and all,

I went to a bike fitting specialists here in San Diego about a week ago
just case I had something out of whack and had my bike/cleat position
checked he did not find anything (cleats positioned directly at the
ball of the foot, seat height set such that at 12 o'clock position my
knee is bent at 30 degrees and when at the 3 o'clock position my knee
is directly over the pedal spindle). I will double check the cleats to
make sure they are aligned with my feet when I stand. Just for
reference I've got a pair of Sidi Ergo Genius Megas and my cleat
position is at position 2.

For Al, I was wondering if you could describe the type of stretches the
doctors recommeded to you.


Thanks again everyone!

Ian in San (raining) Diego

For Al, I was wondering if you could describe the type of stretches the
doctors recommeded to you.


Ian,

Here's one:

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_xknee-il_art.htm

and the instructions a
Iliotibial band stretch (side-leaning): Stand sideways near a wall,
your injured leg toward the inside. Place the hand of your injured
side on the wall for support. Cross your uninjured leg over the
injured leg, keeping the foot of the injured leg stable. Lean into the
wall. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and repeat 3 times.

another is #3:

http://www.runningtimes.com/04may/itb.htm

Hope this helps. I've also got some good stretches from people who do
Yoga. If you need info or help on correct technique a yoga class
might be worth your while.

Al Sharff
remove the * from to e-mail me