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Not a good time to get OMK

by nostromo
Thu, Nov 08, 2012 13:49
5

Two weeks ago I did my knee in. My left one this time. I'm almost to embarrassed to say how. Oh sod it, I'll tell you. I sat on the lav too long and somehow got my left leg twisted underneath me, so when I got up I felt this 'pull' just above the kneecap. I thought at the time: "that's going to be a problem" and it was. A big problem. Over the next few days, that patch of muscle and ligament ballooned up and became super stiff and painful.

The diagnosis was swift. I had succumbed to Old Man's Knee once again.

There's not much you can do about OMK (other than invent a time machine) so you just have to wait for the thing to go away. The last time I took my other knee to the physio (the excellent Terry Newsome in Hemel Hempstead) he poked, prodded, pulled and shook it before saying rather sardonically, "it's old isn't it? Take it home and wait for it to get better. No charge."

Thanks Terry.

So this time I knew what to do. Nothing. Took some ibuprofen and waited.

Annoyingly, I have been really enjoying getting out on the bike so a two week enforced layoff was a bust. My fitness had been improving and there was even some weight loss to get excited about. I really didn't need a dose of OMK right now.

Yesterday, was my first time back on the bike since and I hit my standard '21' route, which is reasonably flat, as a tester. Everything felt OK so I'm good to go again. Fingers crossed, because now that I'm working from home I really intend to ride through the winter and give myself a good fitness base for the beginning of the 2013 season.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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5 comments

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Mostyn | 12 years ago
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I'm a senior member of this club OMK. Signed up quite awhile back, so, you can rest assured your not alone in the convalesing from knee injuries; and other bits as you get older. Bloody cramp is a nuisence. Cold weather; and poor circulation.

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nostromo | 12 years ago
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I never used to have these problems, despite playing rugby league to a good amateur standard and then hockey in goal.

But in my 50th year, the knees are a bit ... oh I don't know, 'flakey'. Sometimes they are good, other times there's a niggle and then occasionally they go on strike altogether!

There doesn't seem to be anything particularly wrong so I may just have to deal with it. My visit to the physio last time came after a holiday to Cyprus where I didn't do much of anything. And that seemed to be the root of the problem for Terry, who reckoned going from activity to indolence was a major factor in my knee seizing up.

Not sure if he's right or not but I aim to keep the knees moving from now on.

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Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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I also have trouble with my knees and its not from being an old man........I hope.

Old football injuries and operations on my cartilage have left them weak as shit. So I just have to be careful especially through the winter.

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notfastenough | 12 years ago
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My knee kept me away from cycling completely for years. I thought I would give it a go again last year, and it turns out knowledge has moved on considerably since then - god bless Speedplay pedals, body geometry insoles and a local sports therapist!

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Stumps | 12 years ago
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Good to see you back and raring to go. My knee ended up costing 2 ops and it still isn't perfect but i keep plugging away. 4

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