NGC - Is Knee Pain Part of the Lifestyle?

[thepittsburghguzzi]

I can't believe that at age 24, I'm posting about this kind of thing. But I'm fairly new to motorcycling, only having started last July. A couple months ago, my left knee started acting up when taking stairs. Then my right one. Then both. Some days, they're fine. Some days, stairs absolutely kill my knees (one or both). At standing idle, they are just fine. But as soon as I bend them to move up or down stairs, they can get extremely painful right inside the knees. The only change in my lifestyle has been the motorcycles, and I do all of my own work. I realized that this involves a lot of crouching and kneeling down to get at the proper working height, and I'm guessing this isn't a stance I normally put myself in before.

Anybody have any input on this? Have any of you guys experienced this? I really don't think it has anything to do with riding position, but from actually working on the bikes and kneeling and crouching down.

Thoughts?

[John Ulrich]

Go see a knee doctor.  Hopefully physical therapy will give you exercises to do to fix it.  I've had both my knees "scoped" and the best thing is swimming or bicycling (exercise bike for me).

[cwiseman]

Get a nice thick knee pad, my local wally world has them as a seat cushion in the hunting section. Does me a lot of good while working on things.

[fotoguzzi]

Coincidentally I had to take yesterday off cause my left one was so sore I couldn't get my pants on. But I'm 62. Done lots of kneeling working on bikes but I think it comes from skiing injuries long ago.
One thing you should consider is a motorcycle lift table, it makes working on them easy on the knees.

[Triple Jim]

I've had a few knee problems over the years, but have learned what not to do to piss them off.  It may be that you can find ways to get down to work on the bike, and back up again without damaging your knees.  As an example, if I sit cross-legged and stand up directly from that position on a regular basis, I can make my knees hurt.  Instead, from that position I roll to one side, put a hand down, and get a foot under my butt, then stand up.  Deep knee bends, intentional or not, are bad.

I'm certainly not pointing a finger at you, but in general, carrying excess weight is a big problem for knees too, but is not as quick to correct.

[redrider]

Repetitive motion such as always using the left leg down when coming to a stop will cause this. As the years have progressed, at 58, I alternate leading or using one motion with doing the opposite. Does your left shoulder get sore if you make a lot of short trips in the car? Try using the right arm to close the door. Cured my discomfort. Start on your exercise routine NOW. Think balance and symmetry. An aspirin or two before bed works wonders.

[cloudbase]

Pittsburgh probably isn't the best city to live in if you've got knee pain.  Time to move to the flatlands.

[Dilliw]

It only gets worse!   

First of all you are asking a bunch of old fart Guzzi riders instead of a properly trained MD but you are going to get what you paid for.

If it's in both knees than it's probably not an acute injury so you have that going for you.   My bet is that you've got a lot of stretching to do.  If the pain is on the outside then it's probably your IT band.  If it's inside then your quads and glutes.  If it's upfront then you have a patella issue and (like me) and for that you can do some exercises and there's a specific brace that helps reduce friction on the tendon. 

Here's a quick diagnosis page you can go through to help you pinpoint the issue.  The more you can self identify the better you can talk to an ortho doctor and get professional help as needed.

http://www.knee-pain-explained.com/knee-pain-diagnosis.html

[HardAspie]

Yeah, that kneeling and bending is probably it. In addition to having a soft surface of some sort to knee onto I have another thought. Really think out what you are about to do and get every part and supply and tool that may even possibly remotely and perhaps needed right there at your arm's reach. That way you will not have to get up and down several times to accomplish some task.

(Now ask me just how well that actually works. "Oh no, I need a what?")

[PJPR01]

Sounds to me like the knee bend you have while sitting on the motorcycle is the issue...check whether you can get lowered foot pegs on your bike or a higher seat or a combo of both...may just be that the bike you have is the wrong size for you...

and I presume you haven't just started running 5 miles a day on concrete...  :)

[normzone]

All the above is valid advice, I'll throw in my decimal dollars worth.

You're in your first youth - be clever and start using the protective techniques NOW that those of us in our third youth are compelled to use.

Home Depot, or the equivalent - buy the most gourmet, comfortable, expensive knee pads they have, and use them religiously when getting down. You'll be glad you did.

Kneeling pads - basically a small pillow, foam of some kind. Make one or buy one. Keep it near your work area and use it at the slightest excuse.

Lower back issues can report themselves as pain in the knees and other places. Stretching, strength building, and maintaining a healthy weight are all to your benefit. Get to know a chiropractor that your friends praise and become friends with them - regular maintenance will prevent problems now and later.

All this is optional at your age, but a word to the wise and all that...

[Chuck in Indiana]

Buncha old people on here.    My knees are fine.   
Son, if you are like most kids I know.. they have grown up sitting on the couch playing video games, and haven't done a day's work in their life. Seriously. JU mentions seeing a knee doc, and maybe physical therapy. Good idea. Once you know that it *isn't* a medical issue, you probably need to go to the gym.

[Skarsaune]

Once you know that it *isn't* a medical issue, you probably need to go to the gym.

+1
24 is awful young to have issues, barring a related injury.
At 49, my knees don't like going down hills/stairs, but high impact sports (skiing/football) 30 years ago are my biggest cause.

[davedel44]

 :1: Lift
 :1: Doctor
 :1: Pads
Also get a rolling shop stool
Also big advocate of some sort of stretching before and after any physically demanding activity.  Make no mistake about it, riding and wrenching can stress yuor joints.
Dave
Galveston

[not-fishing]

First of all you are asking a bunch of old fart Guzzi riders instead of a properly trained MD but you are going to get what you paid for.

Hey I resemble that remark!

What you do get with me is 45 years of personal experience that those new whipper-snapper doctors don't have.

Back in '68 a goalie tried to block my shot and instead he took my knee.  The doc told me he'd have to split my leg from middle thigh to middle calf, lay the skin over to work on it.  Being a young kid I said no.  Wheelchair for a couple of weeks, crutches for over a month, no therapy, next year playing soccer again but I never could run the high hurdles again.

I quit soccer after my third year of college.  I don't run.

I quit downhill skiing in my mid 20's to protect my knees.

I've ridden "racing" bicycles, spinning for over 40 years and put over 100,000 miles on them.

I don't play basketball, tennis like the wife or any other sport that may hurt my knees. (paintball doesn't count)

Now at 62 my knees are better than my younger brothers who have both had repeated surgeries along with to many of my 50+ year old friends.

I attribute my decent knees to protecting them while working construction for decades with knee pads when on my knees, using knee pads always now and decades of bicycling -- not being a "Grinder".

Also I'm not a "lighter" guy.  I've spent many decades at or above 200 lbs.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 Yes it is.

[Arizona Wayne]

I'm 73 and have never had knee issues yet and have rode MCs for over 50+ years.  But now I have a MC lift and a pneumatic stool so my knees don't get overworked much at all.

Being overweight is hard on knees.  I used to do appliance repair and was on my knees a lot but had pads for them.  Carpet layers & roofers REALLY abuse their knees.

[thepittsburghguzzi]

Guys I'm overwhelmed - thanks for all the feedback. I'll preface this by saying, at 150 pounds I'm not exactly enormous... so I don't think that's my biggest concern :P

Moving forward, I'm voting absolutely yes on knee protection (thick foam pads, and trying to find ways to resist crouching down when other positions or a motorcycle lyft will do the trick). Yes on stretching, and yes on seeing a Dr who can confirm that I indeed don't have something more serious going on.

With my short 29-inch inseam, I don't think the riding position is much of a problem for me, especially on the KZ that I've had since July - not a severe knee bend at all on that thing. My V7 Classic is ideal for a shorty like me.

I think that doing this has just suddenly put my knees in new positions with new strain that they've never had to handle before. I am glad that this isn't exactly a shocker in the motorcycling world, and that I seem to have a bunch of ways to remedy it.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 It's from genuflecting every time you approach the Guzzi.

[screamday]

Yoga

[thepittsburghguzzi]

It's from genuflecting every time you approach the Guzzi.

Jim gets it ;) 

[Vagrant]

I have a 29" inseam too but at 68 I couldn't take the peg location on a V7 stone. I put a 1 1/2" total thick sheep skin and gel pad on the seat and it's tolerable for a 200 mile day now.
places like Dicks that sell kayak's have nice rubber coated foam pads for $6. try one for the seat and kneeling.

[Penderic]

My 2 cents: Find out what is the difference between your painful knee structure and a healthy one, if you can.

Compare, take before and after pics. Is it physical swelling? Is it affected by food, weather, drugs - other medical conditions?

Bone up now on the anatomical terms - you eventually will be talking to the specialists and some bullshit artists. Know which is which.

... and never let a person operate on you until you have talked to 3 or 4 other previous patients that person has operated on! If any other patients have had post surgery complications, find out what they were and how they were treated. I repeat: do not have any operations on your knees by anyone ... unless you know their sucess/failure record!


Meanwhile.....

[charlie b]

So, my knees were not the problem.  At 22 I did a lot of squat work on cars (brakes, suspension, etc).  Strained my back muscles.  To this day they still 'speak' to me if I stand in one place too long.  Walking I am fine, but not just standing in place.

I was a baseball catcher for 12 years so deep knee bends were a way of life.  I can still do more than my fair share. 

Then I did parachute jumping and pulled a leg muscle.  The knees were fine.  At 50 I quit skiing because I felt the stress on my knees.  Like Warren Miller said, your knees are only good for so many bumps and then they are gone.  I gained weight at 55 and that did more to screw up my knees than anything else.  Lost 30lb and they are back to 'normal'.

The biggest help to knees is exercise.  The stronger the muscles are around the knee the more of a chance you have.  If I don't exercise then my knees are the first place it shows up.

After all that....if you wrench a lot then invest in a good lift and rolling stool.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The biggest help to knees is exercise.

Agreed. I was a catcher, too. And... I milked the freakin cows from the time I was 8 until I left for school at 18. So, deep knee bends were a way of life for me, too. I still do dumbbell squats (correctly) along with other exercises.

[wavedog]

Be careful. You may not have a real problem with your knees. I had the same type of pain when I was younger and at the time it was quite painful. My wife, who is a therapist of the first order, discovered that the tensor facia latae (TFL) and the iliotibial band (I.T.band) was tight causing pain on the inside of the knee. She came up with some stretches that I do to this day and within a short period of time it went away. The docs were scheduling me for surgery but with the stretches the muscles and ligaments returned to normal and voila no pain.  Its worth a try before you engage in something more invasive. PM me and I will send you the stretching info. Its easy and worth a try. It wont hurt anything. All the best.

[LowRyter]

If you think the problem is the motorcycle I could do you a favor and take it off your hands.   



Seriously, I hope you get it worked out.  By knees have hurt on & off since I was a teenager and at 62 if something doesn't hurt, well that's special. 

[pat80flh]

Knee pain is part of the lifestyle if you're riding a kick only Ironhead sportster.

  Seriously yoga. and diet, try giving up dairy products for a month.

[Penderic]

 Its not easy sometimes.


and for the cafe racers.....

[Stephen]

I'm in my early 50s, and have the same pains. I went to an orthopedic surgeon, who feared, tested etc.

Nothing was damaged, he told me the only then wrong was my knee caps were higher than they should be and gave me a list of exercises and stretches to do.

Also told me to take Osteo Biflex. He has taken it for 9 years.

He then told me that he and I would never meet again.

I'm feeling better and would be even better if I did the stretching and exercises more often.