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mcm Selle An-Atomica™ Applying ourselves to improve your quality of life Knee Pains |
| INTRODUCTION Some of the common and uncommon causes of knee pain among cyclists seem to be misunderstood. COMMON CAUSES: Riding beyond one's fitness level. This happens when we set lofty goals and do not train our bodies properly. Particular strengthening and stretching calisthenics must be part of your everyday routine if you want to ride without ever experiencing knee pain. Inappropriate gearing and inappropriate use of the transmission during rides. In the simplest terms you need to always use a gear ratio that is not overloading your physical strengths. If you are riding a long course with big, steep, or long climbs, you need good climbing gears, suitable to your fitness level. For most people that means larger cogs on the rear wheel, and smaller chainrings on the pedal crank. OVERLOOKED OR LITTLE KNOWN CAUSES: Bursitis. This is an irritation of the bursa through aggravated overuse of this small sac adjacent to the patellar (knee cap). If you finish a ride and your knee cap region is swollen and extremely tender to touch and pressure, good chance you've injured your bursa. See a sports med orthopedic surgeon who will most likely order a MRI done with saline injection. Same type of MRI should be ordered if your orthopedist suspects Plica Syndrome, the following condition. Plica Syndrome. Problems with the Plica, a fold of tissue adjacent to medial knee cap, is a common and little known source of knee pain that can easily be misdiagnosed as Patellar Tendon Syndrome. In mild cases Plica Syndrome will manifest as painfully sharp pains variously across the medial and anterior aspect of the knee. In extreme cases there will be swelling in the Patellar tendon, knee cap region. If you experience swelling and severe pain, no more cycling, 10-15 minutes of ice once or twice a day and an appointment with the best orthopedic surgeon in the region is definitely called for. Plica (PLI-kah) syndrome occurs when bands of tissue in the knee called plicae swell from overuse or injury. Treatments for this syndrome are:
PLICA SYNDROME Plica syndrome consists of irritation and inflammation of the plica. The plica is a band of remnant synovial tissue (a thin, slippery material that lines all of the joints) that is left over from the earliest stages of fetal development. Generally, as a fetus matures, these tissue pouch remnants come together to form one large cavity—the synovial cavity—within the knee. However, in some people the plica does not fuse completely, leaving four folds or bands of plica within the knee instead of one combined cavity. Overuse and injury may inflame the plica. If you suffer from plica syndrome, you will experience pain, swelling, a clicking sensation, locking, and weakness in your knee. Only a doctor can properly and thoroughly diagnose plica syndrome, because its symptoms mimic those of many other knee problems. Detailed medical information and resource links: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/kneeprobs/kneeqa.htm#17 http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?query=plica+syndrome http://www.emedicine.com/orthoped/topic543.htm http://www.athleticadvisor.com/Injuries/LE/Knee/plica_syndrome.htm |
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