I have replacement knee joints. Should I cycle?

[Andybg]

What bad luck Richie

I dont have much experience of bad knees apart from through my father. He has had one knee replaced and is planning on getting the other one done sometime in the future.

it is difficult to give any real advice apart from take the bike out and see if it agrrevates the problem or not.

My father was told just do what you can until the pain makes you not want to do it anymore. Once the pain gets too much / too frequently then they will operate on the other knee.

Hopefully your knee issue is just muscle pain and will subside sooner rather than later

Best of luck

Andy

[Danneaux]

Hi Richie!

Oh, what a shame and a worry; I am so sorry your knee has decided to commit mutiny.

As someone with bad knees, I have found they can twinge from time to time while in mid-tour, usually at a point *very* far from home and with me wholly dependent on their cooperation for my return. I find it is usually caused on liftoff from a stop when I've put too much or uneven effort in it.

Oddly enough, what works for me is to ease up on effort (pedal even more lightly than usual) for awhile and adjust my cleats (sometimes my foot position in the shoe is enough to do it) so my toe points in toward the center of the bike ever-so-slightly for awhile. Amazingly that is enough to effect a "cure" after just a short bit of pedaling.

Hoping something equally mysterious and simple might help for you without causing harm or making things worse.

We'll all be thinking of you, I'm sure, and hoping for the best. Please keep us updated as Departure date approaches.

All the best,

Dan. (A doctor, but not that kind...)

[richie thornger]

Stretches and foam rollers I know a little bit about but thanks for the input.
I think doing squats with incorrect technique may have been the original culprit. But I rested straight away after that (6months ago)_ and it went away.
I've done nowhere near as much training this time round compared to last year and I think the legs were not prepared for the heavy load. Even though the head was!
I think it was probably being in too high a gear on a start off. Or being a bit slow on changing down on a steep hill when fully loaded.
Departure date was today. I had a flexible flight ticket so decided to put it back a week after speaking to the Sports Physio.
I've had plenty of aches and pains in the past but this just feels a bit "wrong".
If it was just cycling I wouldn't be that bothered, but cycling with 40kg load doesn't give much of a chance to ease off when the slope gets beyond a few %. (Well not for me anyway) 
There is no quick solution. Perhaps I'll go on the flight next week and get myself somewhere sunny and have a rest and do part of the journey by bus?
 
I suppose SPDs allow for cycling with one leg

[Andybg]

Really sorry to hear it Richie.

You are always the best judge of your own body and hopefully a little rest will see things right.

Andy

[Danneaux]

Oh, boy, Richie...it sounds like over-stress to me. You're absolutely right; cycling with a load is very different to cycling without, and those lunges to start can really place a load on one's own components.

Perhaps I'll go on the flight next week and get myself somewhere sunny and have a rest and do part of the journey by bus?

Yep, a little rest and tincture of time surely can't hurt. Maybe easing back into things with low-intensity, short-distance days would help when you do get your start. Perhaps this week's delay will put all to right.

Fingers crossed for a good outcome soonest, Richie. After so much concentrated effort and tension in the preparation, you surely didn't need this added stressor!

All the best,

Dan.

[greywolf]

I had tolerated a bad right knee for 15 years, it didn't worry my cycling, but walking was not on the agenda. Eventually, in March '12 I had a "half knee" fitted (only one side joint removed and replaced with metal/plastic). Procedure is reputed to be less invasive and less painful. Not sure about the pain - it hurt me, but I was on an exercise bike within 4 days, and back on my bikes in 6 weeks. I ride roadies and my faithful MTB - Rohloff equipped. I am cycling 100km rides again, the knee seems OK, but my general condition has dropped (maybe due to me being 70 years old).
The surgeon and physiotherapists reckon my regular cycling prior to the procedure ensured that everything else was in top shape, and this helped rapid recovery.
Best wishes from Down Under.

[Andybg]

Fantastic story of keeping on cycling. I am glad your knee op only stopped you cycling for a short time and I really hope I can still cycle 100km when I am 70.

Andy