# How long before i can ride after a sprained knee injury?



## Kaboom (Jul 18, 2003)

So today its two weeks since i sprained my knee. i haven't tried riding yet, but certain moves still hurt. quite badly.
i know i won't be riding in the inmediate future, but i wanted to ask you guys how long should i expect it to be before i can be back on the bike.
to put this into perspective. i can walk no problem, even run at a moderate speed, but any twisting of the knee kills me.
cheers!


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Have you tried?*



Kaboom said:


> So today its two weeks since i sprained my knee. i haven't tried riding yet, but certain moves still hurt. quite badly.
> i know i won't be riding in the inmediate future, but i wanted to ask you guys how long should i expect it to be before i can be back on the bike.
> to put this into perspective. i can walk no problem, even run at a moderate speed, but any twisting of the knee kills me.
> cheers!


Have you tried riding yet? 

I'd think that if you could run, riding shouldn't be an issue.


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## Kaboom (Jul 18, 2003)

i also managed to rip a small tear in my left calf, so at the moment that's preventing me from riding. i just figured a sprain would take longer to hear than a small muscle tear.
and also, i can't really RUN, its more like a light jog.


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## Kaboom (Jul 18, 2003)

come on somebody must be able to tell me SOMETHING about this!
has nobody ever sprained their knee?


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Try riding...*



Kaboom said:


> come on somebody must be able to tell me SOMETHING about this!
> has nobody ever sprained their knee?


Try riding. If it hurts, don't ride. If it doesn't hurt, then ride away. If it's mildly painful, and you can ride without too much pain, ride. Or better yet, ask a doctor.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*General principles*



Kaboom said:


> So today its two weeks since i sprained my knee. i haven't tried riding yet, but certain moves still hurt. quite badly. i know i won't be riding in the inmediate future, but i wanted to ask you guys how long should i expect it to be before i can be back on the bike. to put this into perspective. i can walk no problem, even run at a moderate speed, but any twisting of the knee kills me.


As magnolialover said, just try it. The fact that when you are riding, your knee movement is very constrained, means that if it doesn't hurt, or doesn't hurt much, then you are good to go. There are a number of ways you can sprain your knee and degrees of knee sprain, so there can't be any "rule" to follow. I'd be very surprised if you couldn't ride comfortably, given that you can jog. It should go with out saying that this is NOT the time for out of the saddle sprints, but riding along at a high cadence should actually help in the healing (again assuming minimal pain).


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## akpaddler (May 10, 2007)

*Knee sprain rehab*

I completely agree that riding will be therapeutic for a sprain, if indeed you do not have an injury to the bone. Did you get an xray to rule that out? Since you can run, this is unlikely.
If there is no chance of a bony injury, high cadence pedaling is rehabilitative. This is called a "closed chain activity" for the knee, meaning that the pedaling motion will be safe and cause better lubrication of the joint with snovial fluid as well as help orient healing scar tissue in the tendons in the direction of function. Just don't push big gears!
If you don't do anything, your quad will atrophy and you will develop more scar tissue (adhesions) plus your rehab will take longer. 
If whatever you are doing hurts, lighten up and give it more time.
Use Ibuprofen before riding, and ice it afterwards.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

set your pedal tension at a lighter release. Be careful that when you unclip to be gentle.


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## Kaboom (Jul 18, 2003)

excellent! thanks a lot for the answers guys
yeah i got a ton of xrays done at the hospital, so i'm pretty sure bone injury can be safely ruled out.
i'll set my release tension low to avoid torquing my knee, and i'll start with gentle. 10 to 15 mile flat rides and see how it goes from there.
once again, thank you everyone!


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## mandovoodoo (Aug 27, 2005)

I use a patellar support band thingie on each knee to warm up. I leave one on my bad knee until everything is completely warm and free. If my bad knee doesn't loosen up, I leave it on. I've been able to ride with a tweeked knee lots this way. The main problem being to not favor it too much and blow the other one!!!


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## Masi-Rider (Nov 2, 2006)

I have gone through two serious knee tweeks in the past two years. The first was a sprain of the ACL, MCL and a partial tear of the PCL on my left knee(indoor soccer, astro-turf and a 250lb guy that should have been in the rugby league all got the best of me) and then 3 months ago a severe sprain to the ACL of my right(basketball). My advice to you is to first start on a trainer, so you can check your rotation threshold without being away from home. I know it's hard when the weather is nice, but it's better than being 5-10 miles from home and your knee is locked up. I would also suggest investing in a glucosamine based joint rub. It really helped my knee losen up before I started. After you gain confidence on the trainer, head out for short rides near your home(stay in the saddle) and work up from there. It just took me a few weeks, after the swelling was gone, of trainer and close-by rides to feel comfortable enough to venture out. It will also feel odd the first time you stand up to climb or sprint. Here I would suggest a low cadence, very controlled climb the first time. Now I am back to riding 30+ miles 4 times a week and one weekend long ride with no pain. I have to wear a brace sometimes just walking around, but riding doesn't bother me at all...


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