Knee pain & Saddle Height

On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:17:08 -0700, "* * Chas"
wrote:

[---]

One problem with taking something like aspirin is that it can mask pain.
In some situations pain can be your friend telling you something is wrong.

That was one of my concerns. The other was possible side effects on
things like the kidneys and those subject to haemorrhages. If the
problem is just inflammation, would Ibuprofene be an alternative?

"Andrew Price" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:17:08 -0700, "* * Chas"
wrote:

[---]

One problem with taking something like aspirin is that it can mask
pain.
In some situations pain can be your friend telling you something is
wrong.

That was one of my concerns. The other was possible side effects on
things like the kidneys and those subject to haemorrhages. If the
problem is just inflammation, would Ibuprofene be an alternative?

Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc.) Aleve (Naproxen) and most other NSAIDs
(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) would have the same effect of
reducing inflammation.

All of these kinds of drugs can have negative side effects that vary from
person to person.

In my situation aspirin works best for me.

Chas.

"* * Chas" Well, you were doing okay until you started calling people
Nazis. Now, you're just looking smug and ignorant.


I'm not smug at all on this subject. Back in the early 70s when I started
cycling seriously, I read the Italian C.O.N.I. book "Cycling" from cover
to cover a number of times. Sorry if I stepped on some toes but for too
many years I've seen too many experts set up bikes and try to force the
riders into adjusting to the bikes rather than the other way around.

Some fitting experts act like Balanchine spending years forcing his
ballerinas into painful positions so they can dance HIS way.

Chas.

I'm not downgrading your experiences, just your choice of words. Nazis were
cold-blooded killers! Calling someone with whom you have a disagreement that
name is so far off the ridiculous chart that it makes whatever you have said
a bit ridiculous--as if when someone disagrees with you they're a Nazi! Get
real! Even Balanchine was only a strict dancing master--not a Nazi!

BTW, I take 3-4 aspirin before and after riding to control inflammation
in
my knees.

My mother-in-law had a disintegrating disc and her doctor recommended 6
aspirin a day--but, that was 2 at a time over the course of 24 hours, not
what you're doing (unless you are riding for more than 8 hours, I suppose).

Better ask a doctor about those dosages, for your own safety. Don't forget
that aspirin causes your stomach and intestines to bleed....

Pat in TX

"Pat" wrote in message
...


"* * Chas" Well, you were doing okay until you started calling
people
Nazis. Now, you're just looking smug and ignorant.


I'm not smug at all on this subject. Back in the early 70s when I
started
cycling seriously, I read the Italian C.O.N.I. book "Cycling" from
cover
to cover a number of times. Sorry if I stepped on some toes but for
too
many years I've seen too many experts set up bikes and try to force
the
riders into adjusting to the bikes rather than the other way around.

Some fitting experts act like Balanchine spending years forcing his
ballerinas into painful positions so they can dance HIS way.

Chas.

I'm not downgrading your experiences, just your choice of words. Nazis
were
cold-blooded killers! Calling someone with whom you have a disagreement
that
name is so far off the ridiculous chart that it makes whatever you have
said
a bit ridiculous--as if when someone disagrees with you they're a Nazi!
Get
real! Even Balanchine was only a strict dancing master--not a Nazi!



"Fit Nazi" is a take off on a local phrase "Food Nazi". Also, I've seen
the term Fit Nazi used by others in this NG, that's where my usage came
from.

Sorry if the term offended you. Shall we call them Fit Maestros then?
Maestro is the correct term for cruel task masters in the performing arts.
8-)

Chas.

In article ,
Andrew Price wrote:

On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:17:08 -0700, "* * Chas"
wrote:

[---]

One problem with taking something like aspirin is that it can mask pain.
In some situations pain can be your friend telling you something is wrong.

That was one of my concerns. The other was possible side effects on
things like the kidneys and those subject to haemorrhages. If the
problem is just inflammation, would Ibuprofene be an alternative?


Do not imbibe alcohol when taking ibuprofen.
Nor when taking acetaminophen. The distance
between a therapeutic dose of acteaminophen
and a toxic dose is small. A therapeutic dose
tops at 4 grams/day. Toxic dose is 7 grams at once.

Alcohol + ibuprofen - gastro-intestinal bleeding + possible liver damage.
Alcohol + acteaminophen - liver damage.

As a matter of caution, do not drink alcohol
with any course of pharmaceuticals. That is why
I do not take pharmaceuticals.

--
Michael Press

BCDrums wrote:
Lately I have had some pain in one knee, located behind the knee cap. It
doesn't hurt while I'm riding, but rather when I'm climbing stairs. I'm
wondering if it might be that my saddle is too low or high (although I
haven't made any adjustments lately).

Has anyone had a similar problem?

BC

One of the most common problems to cause these symptoms is "patella
tracking". Basically, if the patella (kneecap) doesn't track precisely
during knee flexing, the wobbling can irritate the tendon behind it. I
developed a rather acute case of this years ago, sought medical advice
from a sport's doc, and was told to do dead leg lifts to strengthen the
little muscles around the kneecap that control tracking. I have had
minor recurrences over the years, and briefly resuming the exercises has
cleared it up.

To do the leg lifts, I was told to lie on my back, lift one leg at a
time (with knee locked) slowly to about 45 degrees, hold it briefly,
then lower slowly and do the other leg. I try to do as many reps as I
can for 2-3 sets, daily. Things usually clear up in a week or so.

There are lots of other things that could cause this, but patella
tracking is very common, and this type of exercise can't hurt to try.
You don't want to postpone treatment of potential tendinitis, because it
can become chronic. The way it was explained to me, the tendon runs in a
sheath, which provides a smooth surface to move against. After
repeated/prolonged inflammation, the inside of the sheath can become
scarred, creating a rougher surface that can irritate the tendon under
normal use. Of course normal aging can cause things like bone spurs that
will have similar effects. Unfortunately I don't think there's any
simple exercise for that.

"Peter Cole" wrote in message
news:mr4ak.93$wa1.90@trndny07...
BCDrums wrote:
Lately I have had some pain in one knee, located behind the knee cap.
It
doesn't hurt while I'm riding, but rather when I'm climbing stairs.
I'm
wondering if it might be that my saddle is too low or high (although I
haven't made any adjustments lately).

Has anyone had a similar problem?

BC

One of the most common problems to cause these symptoms is "patella
tracking". Basically, if the patella (kneecap) doesn't track precisely
during knee flexing, the wobbling can irritate the tendon behind it. I
developed a rather acute case of this years ago, sought medical advice
from a sport's doc, and was told to do dead leg lifts to strengthen the
little muscles around the kneecap that control tracking. I have had
minor recurrences over the years, and briefly resuming the exercises has
cleared it up.

To do the leg lifts, I was told to lie on my back, lift one leg at a
time (with knee locked) slowly to about 45 degrees, hold it briefly,
then lower slowly and do the other leg. I try to do as many reps as I
can for 2-3 sets, daily. Things usually clear up in a week or so.

There are lots of other things that could cause this, but patella
tracking is very common, and this type of exercise can't hurt to try.
You don't want to postpone treatment of potential tendinitis, because it
can become chronic. The way it was explained to me, the tendon runs in a
sheath, which provides a smooth surface to move against. After
repeated/prolonged inflammation, the inside of the sheath can become
scarred, creating a rougher surface that can irritate the tendon under
normal use. Of course normal aging can cause things like bone spurs that
will have similar effects. Unfortunately I don't think there's any
simple exercise for that.

Peter,

Thanks for the detailed explanation of tendonitis of the knee. I went to
half dozen different specialists over the years and most of them concluded
that I had tendonitis but never explained how it affected my knees. The
assumption of these jock docks was I was old and should just take it easy
on my knees.

Chas.

Peter Cole wrote:
BCDrums wrote:
Lately I have had some pain in one knee, located behind the knee cap.
It doesn't hurt while I'm riding, but rather when I'm climbing stairs.
I'm wondering if it might be that my saddle is too low or high
(although I haven't made any adjustments lately).

Has anyone had a similar problem?

BC

One of the most common problems to cause these symptoms is "patella
tracking". Basically, if the patella (kneecap) doesn't track precisely
during knee flexing, the wobbling can irritate the tendon behind it. I
developed a rather acute case of this years ago, sought medical advice
from a sport's doc, and was told to do dead leg lifts to strengthen the
little muscles around the kneecap that control tracking. I have had
minor recurrences over the years, and briefly resuming the exercises has
cleared it up.

To do the leg lifts, I was told to lie on my back, lift one leg at a
time (with knee locked) slowly to about 45 degrees, hold it briefly,
then lower slowly and do the other leg. I try to do as many reps as I
can for 2-3 sets, daily. Things usually clear up in a week or so.

There are lots of other things that could cause this, but patella
tracking is very common, and this type of exercise can't hurt to try.
You don't want to postpone treatment of potential tendinitis, because it
can become chronic. The way it was explained to me, the tendon runs in a
sheath, which provides a smooth surface to move against. After
repeated/prolonged inflammation, the inside of the sheath can become
scarred, creating a rougher surface that can irritate the tendon under
normal use. Of course normal aging can cause things like bone spurs that
will have similar effects. Unfortunately I don't think there's any
simple exercise for that.
Peter,

Thanks for this info. I will try the dead lifts and some ibuprofen to
see if it helps.

BC

* * Chas wrote:

Peter,

Thanks for the detailed explanation of tendonitis of the knee. I went to
half dozen different specialists over the years and most of them concluded
that I had tendonitis but never explained how it affected my knees. The
assumption of these jock docks was I was old and should just take it easy
on my knees.

When I went to one, years ago, from knee pain from running, he basically
told me to give up running, that I was too big for it (6'10"/235). I
took up cycling, and since then my knees have been good.