Please help me with stretching.

[Pants]

Hi,

When i'm out on bike bike for over about an hour I start to get a pain in the legament right behind my knee. There are two ligaments I can feel behind my knee. A smaller one toward my inner leg and a burlier one on toward my outer leg - this is the one giving me problems.

I was going to get some support for around my knee but the chap in the bike shop said he's encoutered this a few times and can be fixed through proper stretching. Do you guys have any ideas on the best stretches to make this ligament more flexible?

Cheers.

Pants.

 

[Roberta]

If it is a ligament causing you trouble then I'm afraid that stretching won't help. Ligaments hold bone to bone and keep joints stable. They are made from nonelastic tissue (excepts for a few special ones - for example in the spine where movement is needed between joints) for this reason.

If it is muscular then stretches may help. You are best consulting a trainer so that they can give you some stretches and more importantly check your alignment to make sure you are doing them correctly.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

 

[Pants]

I think it might be a tendon then? I'm no expert!

If you feel the back of your knee and tense your leg you will be able to feel what i'm talking about... I know it would be best to see an expert but that sound expensive so I want to try the stretching idea first!

 

[Roberta]

Stretching all the muscles used after exercise is always a good thing anyway. There are some stretches here:

http://www.sports-db.com/strength/stretching/legs.html

It sounds like a stiff hamstring but unless I was there while you pointed it out I can't be certain as it is at a joint. Make sure you stretch out all the muscles not just in the place you feel the discomfort as you may end up imbalanced elsewhere!

Let me know if that helps.

 

[Pants]

Just to let you know the stretches worked a treat. Did a 23 mile ride (well almost) and didn't have a problem. The last time I did that ride I was in pain before that half way point.

Well like I said I almost did the 23 miles but came off superman style over the bars at 15 - 20 mph near the end. I spotted a mound of mud I was gonna jump but it was much much softer than i thought. Front wheel just stopped dead!

I wanted to carry on and started walking with the bike but then nearly passed out. So I got a lift instead. Then later that night my wrists were getting more and more painfull and my fingers were going number and colder so ended up going A+E late with all the chavs and drunks there. Fun.

Had some Xrays but no borken bones just torn/stretched muscle/ligments/tendons or whatever around carpel bones. So apparently I can't ride for a few weeks... argggggggg!

On the plus side I also couldn't manage to dress/feed/do anything myself until this evening so my lovely girlfriend baby sat me all weekend. Ahh the easy life!

My right hand is feeleing good enough to type / use mouse with now on the cocktail of painkillers prescribed. That's the important thing.