I’ve been having worsening knee pain for a few years now. Until the last year or two, it’s been more aversive than painful. If I’ve been sitting for a while, when I go to stand up I have an intense need to support myself. It just feels like something is going to tear or snap if I put my full getting-to-standing torque on the joint. If I’m in a chair with arms, I use them to help get to standing. If not, I have to position myself carefully to not overstress the joints when I stand.
Back in May, my right foot slipped out from under me when I was walking on lava rock. My left knee bent completely and I ended up sitting on my left heel. It was mildly painful, but it greatly increased the pain I experienced when walking downhill. Since I live on the slope of one of the world’s tallest mountains (Maunakea), I can’t really walk anywhere without going downhill either there or back, so it’s been a bit of a hindrance. I’ve tried wrapping it or wearing a brace, and that helps with the walking but often causes the joint to ache severely later in the day. Not a good trade-off.
I used to ride my ebike around the neighborhood all the time, but since it rained every day from April until September this year, I haven’t been able to ride at all.
When I was in Phoenix for my prostate artery embolization, I borrowed my brother’s bike (which, to be fair, wasn’t properly adjusted for my frame) and my knee screamed at me for the short ride to the grocery store. No problem; once I’d had the procedure I was forbidden to ride for a few weeks anyway. It was still raining every day when I got home, and I forgot about the cycling-associated knee pain.
The last few days have been really nice. The first summer days we’ve had, even though it’s now fall. I needed to visit someone in the neighborhood and I decided to ride.
My knee isn’t healed yet.
I made it, there and back, and the pain wasn’t excruciating but it wasn’t much fun, either. I’m probably going to want to ride again to a meeting on Thursday, and I’ll try horse tape or a brace and hope that it doesn’t lead to the aching I’ve had when walking with a brace. It was great to ride, but I’m hoping I’m not on a path to knee replacement.
—2p