Hi,

I have just began to develop a painless clicking / popping sensation at the back of my left knee. I've started to notice this sensation whilst I'm riding and when I'm walking both up and down stairs.

As I mentioned, its not currently causing any pain, but I'm concerned that it may develop into something more serious and painful.

Does anyone know of what this could possibly be and should I leave it, or should I have it looked at by a specialist.

Any comments / advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

ITB friction syndrome?

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maybe lower your saddle a bit and see how it goes, I had that when I started cycling a few years ago, it was definitly not helping having too high a seat.

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Thanks!

I'll give that a go to start with. Its weird as my training bike (an old Klein Quantum) feels like the saddle is lower than my better bike (colnago C40). I have over the last 2 weeks or so been riding the Colnago and this symptom now seems to have developed, although its never been a problem previously. I thought that the 2 bikes were just different riding positions due to geometry, but I'll measure up the heights from the ground and see how they compare.

Bear in mind the interaction between seat height, fore/aft, and cleat position. Any and all of these can contribute to what is effectively too long a reach for your legs. While I doubt you changed your cleat position, there's a good chance your seat height and fore/aft are quite different.

describe what you mean by "clicking" and tell us more specifically where the noise is. can you feel a grating sensation if you put your hand on your patella and flex it?

I had a clicking noice in my left knee for about 6 month. Turned in to pain and 2 month break.

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The clicking / popping sensation is located at in the soft tissue at the back of the knee towards the top of the calf muscle - there is no noise when it clicks / pops.

I don't like to self diagnose but i'm guessing its a ligament or tendon, it only seems to click when you apply resistance on it when pedalling or climbing up / down the stairs.

I have a turbo trainer being delivered this week, so i'm going to mount the colnago on this and then have a good play with the saddle height. Weather is getting real bad this week, so gonna ride the mountain bike to work and see how that goes - gonna take it really easy, which is probably sensible given that it'll probably be icy out there!

A few years back I had a clicking/popping behind the knee like you describe. It was the start of ITB. It soon devoloped and was painful especially under hard efforts on the bike. Also was particularily uncomfortable going up/down stairs.

My recommendation:
1) Start a full body stretching program. You could have a tighth muscle in the ankle, back, neck that is propogating stiffness all the way to the knee.
2) Get fitted on the bike
3) Avoid hard efforts
4) Try spinning faster
5) Perhaps get a shorter crank. I went from a 172.5 to 170mm. Though a small difference in length it made a huge impact on the amount of discomfort I was feeling at the time.
6) Avoid exposing your knee to cold head winds or extreme cold all together = Use leg warmers!

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My guess would be Tear of meniscus and yes you should go to doctor

agreed that a doctor visit is in order...often the best way to get back on the bike sooner/better.

Pop your seat down 5mm or more, and forwards 5mm. See if this helps. Most posterior knee issues develop from the knee extending too much in the down stroke (as others have quite rightfully already pointed out).

As for a lateral meniscal cause, they are most commonly painful. This sounds like a tendon insertion becoming stressed and tight, and starting to rub, and flick across other structures behind the knee.