Knee support

[Jaygam]

I get much enjoyment from attacking trails hard and fast but it takes it's toll on my left knee.
I think it all the twisting as well as peddling combined with me having loose ligaments... so I'm looking into getting a knee support.
Is there any tried and tested ones in the market designed for cycling??
Might just get a couple of different types trial them.

 

[Terry]

I'm waiting on a full knee replacement. I can only walk about 300 yards before it gets really painful, however I can ride up to 30 miles with no pain at all. I do use KT tape to stabilise my knee though. It's the stuff you see athletes wearing sometimes at the Olympics etc. Look it up on line for best use patterns for knees. Get it from Amazon or eBay. Well worth a try! Good luck and happy riding!

 

[Terry]

You can get it in various colours so you may be able to match your bike, or black if you're feeling macho or maybe pink if you're not!?
You can get it cut in lengths or as a role, which I prefer. I see you're from sunny Hants, where a bouts?

 

[steve_sordy]

@Jaygam I recommend that you try a variety of methods and treatments until you find a combination that works for you. You appear to have started at my end point, ie buying an emtb, but there are physical and medical things you can do. I would go see a physio if I were you. There are muscle strengthening exercise you can be shown that will assist with any imbalance in strength of the muscles surrounding the knee joints. The physio can also show you what pattern of KT tape to apply .

I have osteo-arthritis in my knees. Walking is fine, but riding was not. Gentle riding was fine, but who wants to do that! It was uphill that was the problem, or climbing out of a hole - anything that required high pedal pressure in fact! It felt like aliens were trying to burst from my knee caps! I got fed up of being the one everyone was waiting for at the top of the hill so I stopped riding with mates anywhere steep. My distances declined until I was down to 10 miles per trip. I was not a happy chappy.

I tried everything, pain killers, pain killing gels, both together, KT tape, all three! Of course the physio was consulted, as I was already seeing her for shoulder problems (impact, not old age). But in the end I went to see the GP. He told me that it was not Rheumatoid Arthritis as I feared but plain and simple Osteo-Arthritis. I was already taking Glucosamine tablets, but started to take cod liver oil capsules, and then Turmeric tablets (recommended by the way). Along the way, I changed the gearing on the bike so that eventually I had a 30T front ring and a 50T dinner plate on the back. A few years ago I would have been able to climb a wall with that set up!

It was when I was down to 10 miles per trip with at least two days between rides that I decided that enough was enough and decided to buy an emtb! After many demos and lots of reading, I bought one!

I've had the bike about four months and today I did 20 miles of off-piste in my local forest and I believe that I could do that again tomorrow! Yee ha!!!

 

[Jaygam]

Thank you for both your suggestions I will defiantly try the tape.
I guess its easy to forget how much these bikes weigh and when over the speed limit its probably twice the work to keep it there on a flat.
20mph would be better I think!
I'm glad it's working for you Steve, it's good to know it can broaden your arena and make it enjoyable for you.
I don't notice it on casual rides so reluctantly may have to be more conscious of my riding style.

 

[Rob180]

I use pod K8’s, they have removable knee cups, I really like them. Fully serviceable too.

 

[lumpy]

I'm waiting on a full knee replacement. I can only walk about 300 yards before it gets really painful, however I can ride up to 30 miles with no pain at all. I do use KT tape to stabilise my knee though. It's the stuff you see athletes wearing sometimes at the Olympics etc. Look it up on line for best use patterns for knees. Get it from Amazon or eBay. Well worth a try! Good luck and happy riding!

I saw this post and grabbed some KT tape to see how my bad knee would like it. I have to say it helps. Not sure if it's the placebo effect, but it helps support all my damaged and stretched ligaments.
Troy Lee Designs speed knee sleeves are a nice addition for me too as they keep the knee warm and provide a little more support

Tim