Symptoms can include muscular spasm, swelling and pain on moving or stretching the knee. Your doctor should make a diagnosis and recommendations for treatment unless the injury is very slight. Your doctor may have prescribed analgesics or anti-inflammatory tablets, or you may wish to use aspirin or Advil if the condition is painful.
Riding may be resumed once there is pain-free movement; the turbo trainer would be an ideal way to start riding, or flat roads using low gears. Use ice massage for 10 minutes before riding.
Chondromalacia
Damage to the moving surface of the patella, the kneecap, causing an aching pain behind the kneecap. Pain begins and progresses slowly, tending to occur in individuals between 10 to 25 years of age. It can be brought on by structural problems, but more often is due to our old friend, overuse—often by using gears that are too big for your state of fitness or by riding and/or running up hills.
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Symptoms can include widespread pain in the knee joint and behind the patella while applying pressure on the pedals. Symptoms are worse after a hard race or hilly training ride. Painful when climbing stairs: the knee "gives way" at times.
A doctor would usually prescribe rest and anti-inflammatory medication or physiotherapy. If there is no improvement in the condition, you may be referred to a specialist for arthroscopy, an examination of the inside of the knee to confirm the diagnosis and to remove any degenerative cartilage.
Although this condition is often diagnosed, my opinion is that it is not as common as we are led to believe. The problem may arise from the patella moving in an abnormal action during the flexion and extension of the knee. There often is no real damage to the inside of the knee; instead, what has happened is that overwork has caused the muscles fixing into the knee to shorten or seize up.
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Sometimes the vastus medialis, the inside thigh muscle, may be slightly weaker, so a visit to the physical therapist may be in order.
Rest is essential; trying to "ride it out" will only make matters worse. Apply ice packs for 48 hours then ice massage over the whole of the knee and thigh area followed by gentle stretches to the quadriceps (thigh muscles). Cold limb wraps and/or heat pad treatment can often ease the condition.
Once the pain has subsided you may start to use the mag trainer or some light riding on the road using low gears. Stay off tracks and rough ground.
A good stretching routine, paying extra attention to your thighs and hamstrings, before and after riding, is strongly advised.
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