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Sore knee ligament...
Yesterday after 66kms of mostly uphill riding my left knee lateral ligament (I think) was showing lots of pain and I had to catch the train instead of going back down the Oaks 
It's the first time I've experienced knee pain - is this particular one a common knee injury for riders? How should it be treated? Ice or heat?
Would it be wise to cary with you some bandage in case it happens again on a 100Km ride?
Thanks,
Tom
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I'm no expert on knees or anything but people say to use the RICE method for common sprains and minor injuries.
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
It may help a little.
Welcome to the Club... where membership is not sought after!
Have you made any changes to your setup and/or upped your mileage somewhat and/or changed the intensity or profile of your training routes?
Depending on which doctor/physio/chiro/podiatrist/alternative healer you go to, the diagnosis may vary quite significantly i.e. leg length discrepancies; misaligned hips; muscle imbalances; spine curvature; feet problems; incorrect bike setup; incorrect shoe support; anti-inflammatories would be needed; surgery would be needed; chakras not aligned with rest of the universe; the list goes on... and yes, I have been told all of these things, sometimes at the same time while consulting various specialists from different fields as I was in serious pain and wanted that elusive 'quick-fix' due to various events that were coming up.
The bandage is a good idea if you are racing i.e. the Angry Doctor as it most likely will flair up... search the net for "ITB strapping" and or cycling related knee injuries, there's heaps of info. The positive side of this is that 90% of the time, your injury is not unique so it can be fixed. The RICE method is an old favourite but not conducive to a busy training regime.
Most of the time, identifying the recent changes (if any) and eliminating the things you shouldn't be doing and/or introducing additional exercises/stretches seem to bring about the solution/relief you seek.
Good luck!
Ever combed your hair repeatedly only to look like nobody owns you? Ever have a day when you just feel a bit sore and just need a rest? Well your joints are like this too. They can have a bad day or simply need a rest. If you've never had knee pain before or only get it on occasion then this could well be the issue.
You could be over doing it. So before you rush off to a doctor all concerned that you may be banned from riding then simply have rest. Perhaps only ride one day out the weekend and every so often don't ride at all.
Remember that true athletes don't just train and race. They have all types of recovery methods as part of their routine, most importantly, massage.
Plus swimming is good to counter the punish that off road riding gives the body.
Rest and recovery is as important as regular exercise.
everyone for the tips. I've got a knee brace on and an ice pack cooling down in the freezer & moving as less as I can - hopefully just a temporary one. yes I think i over-did it in the hills yesterday. Just a bit nervous with the Angry Dr in 2 weeks...
Tom
You can always downgrade! Do the fun 50km and you'll be right mate!!
Also remember that it might just be a ligament strain, which is fairly simple enough to do. I get them all the time playing basketball, like in my knees, hands, fingers, achilles, etc. They go away by the time of my next game in a week.