TMBRA - Rider Board

[Anonymous]

Hello,
Maybe you remeber me, I posted back in February about my swollen knee with the normal MRI. I finally had my knee scoped today only after my knee got so bad I could barely walk. I don't remeber talking to the DR. after the procedure, but my ridewho talked to the Dr. said a very large plica that was all the way across my knee was removed, and he performed a lateral release. Maybe its the pain medicine, but I am in not pain right now. Any rough estimate of what the estimated recovery time is from such procedure? Not riding the bike really just time to be able to walk and do normal things without much trouble. I know I am being impatient but I don't see my Dr. again for over a week and the internet searches I have done are too variable.

Thanks,

[The Bike Doc]

gbeardjr:

Plan for at least 6 weeks of recovery. Your doctor will likely prescribe early stationary bicycle riding to help mobilize the knee joint. He or she will give you the go ahead when you may start road riding and then off road riding. Realistically, plan for an easy summer in regards to intense bike rides and training. Shoot for a late summer cranking up of the intensity and use the fall series to get your form back in shape for spring of 2006. Most important in your recovery and getting back on the bike is to head your orthopedic doctors recommendations of when to progress in your training and recovery. A Physical Therapy referral to help you in your rehab is certainly in order.

Thanks,
_________________
Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc

[Guest]

I had the same ailment during my road riding days. It seemed like the doctors had trouble determining the problem at first. The pain in my right knee became unbearable and eventually was scoped removing the plica. A year later my left knee had the same thing and was scoped. My recovery times for each knee were significantly different. The right knee took, like doc said, about 6-8 weeks to work itself out. The left knee was much shorter and I was on the bike in one week. My understanding is that the plica is not a structural component of the knee and when it becomes inflamed it tightens up and every time you bend the knee it rubs the Femur eventually forming a raw area on the bone. Doc can address this better. Ultimately, I am not sure if this is a predisposed condition or not, but looking back I can definitely say that riding "Big Gears" at low cadence is badd! Mountain biking invloves a lot of steep climbing in the saddle which is kind of the same thing. I would encourage you to do a lot of spinning on the road and avoid the MTB for a while until you get strength and flexibility back in the knee. Today I don't have any problems and can mash away!