# Banged Knee on Rock



## clintrosser (Apr 14, 2009)

So I searched first and came up empty. I would post in rider down, but it seems vacant there. 
So I was riding an armored rock creek crossing last week and went down. I was practically at a standstill- could not unclip- and landed hard on my kneecap (directly on a large flat stone). After a painful ride to my car, followed by a painful drive home, I put ice on a swollen knee. I was finally able to ride again after a week. I have only slight occasional discomfort, but am mostly fine. The problem is I'm also a runner, and I cannot run. It only takes a few steps and the knee pain is unbearable. 10 minutes after I stop (trying), no pain. 
I know some folks on here also run. I also know that all of us have fallen down a few times. Certainly someone has banged a knee on a rock. 
Any ideas? I'm very reluctant to see a doctor, I'm guessing bone bruise. I wonder how long this may linger? Would you see your doctor?


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## floydlippencott (Sep 4, 2010)

RICE , give it some time , it could take awhile . I have had knee injuries similar to yours that took a couple of months to get back to 100% .


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## masterofnone (Jun 21, 2009)

From what I understand running is one of those activities that is much more stressing to knees and such than cycling. IMHO I would hold of jogging for a while then see a doc if no improvement (this advice is coming from a guy who has to be missing limbs or has to be carried on a stretcher before seeking medical treatment, so take it with a grain of salt).


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## manabiker (Jul 18, 2010)

I'd go to the doctor, and x ray may tell you what you want to know, or don't want to know...


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## ChainChain (Sep 25, 2010)

I took a fall this summer in town on my cruiser bike and smacked my knee cap on the concrete. Walked home, RICE and went to bed. I woke up in the morning and it still hurt pretty bad. Made a doctors appointment and walked into the doctors office. Got X-rays and had a fractured patella. It doesn't sound like you are in a lot of pain other than running so I doubt you broke it. With a fractured patella I could not do a straight leg raise because of pain and weakness. 

The patella is designed/ or evolved (however you want to look at it) to protect the soft tissue in the knee. The shock from hitting you knee on the ground does transfer into your joint and you most likely injured some soft tissue behind the patella. \

It's been 3 months since my accident and I can ride again, but I feel almost every pedal stroke. It's the good kind of pain though. There is no way I could run. I wouldn't be surprised if I have another 3 months until I'm as good as new. 

I guess most of this is not applicable but just be patient it takes a good month or two for soft tissue injuries to heal.


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## xenon (Apr 16, 2007)

Once I hit my knee cap on a rock. The knee was swollen and looked pretty bad, but I don't remember much pain. I went to a doctor, he drained the excessive liquid from the knee with a syringe, that's all. The whole thing took a couple of minutes, no pain, no need in anesthetics. Running with an injured knee seems risky to me, better see a doctor.


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

No doc, but yeah a bang to the knee can give trouble for a good while, even if only a "minor" injury, especially if you try running. If it's an actual bone bruise, count on it taking a couple months to completely go away - last one I had on the little bone to the side of the knee took about 4 months to totaly go away.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Not directly to your question, but let me suggest wearing knee pads. I wear FOX Launch Pros. I'm not an aggressive rider, but I do fall down sometimes while rock crawling or trying to hop something or whatever. I prefer hard shell pads, but anything on your knee is better than nothing. As you've discovered, whacking your knee on a rock hurts and keeps hurting. Bone bruises can take some time to completely heal. Once was all it took to convince me. Hope you feel better.


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## Thatshowiroll (Jan 30, 2009)

I banged my girlfriend on a rock once... but her name wasn't Knee.


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## powpig2002 (Sep 13, 2009)

now we're getting somewhere. was she hot? who was on top? day or night? details man, details


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## Thatshowiroll (Jan 30, 2009)

Mosquitoes bit the heck out of my bare butt.


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## SpringsRubicon (Sep 19, 2010)

Personally, I'd think about a quick doctor trip. I did exactly the same thing about 20 years ago. I was off the bike for over two weeks nursing it. On first ride, I fell in the same place and hit the same knee on the same frickin rock (the rock then got hurled down the mountain). 

Since that time, I experience periodic aches in that knee. A doctor told me many years later that it was arthritis caused by the injury and that I'll get to live with it all my life. I can also look forward to it getting worse.

Think it over - especially if you intend to have a long running career.


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## RBowles (Jun 1, 2010)

Thatshowiroll said:


> I banged my girlfriend on a rock once... but her name wasn't Knee.


Kneel and bob?


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## Jeff in Bend (Jun 5, 2010)

clintrosser said:


> So I searched first and came up empty. I would post in rider down, but it seems vacant there.
> So I was riding an armored rock creek crossing last week and went down. I was practically at a standstill- could not unclip- and landed hard on my kneecap (directly on a large flat stone).


I thought all the clipless riders could unclip easily without ever thinking about it, it was second nature.
I wear knee pads, they may slow me down slightly climbing and be a little hot in the summer, but the've provided great protection. I've been using 661 Kyle Straits.


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## Metalized (Apr 1, 2009)

Take a week off biking and running, then try them out again - if you're still hurting, get that knee checked out by a doctor before you start up again. Don't take chances with your knees - you may end up off the bike for much longer than a week if you end up making it worse. Maybe install some flat pedals also while you're off the bike :thumbsup:


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

Well what I would do is pop down the road for a free x-ray. only take an hour, and as nationalised healthcare it would be free


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## clintrosser (Apr 14, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I'm new to clipless pedals; perhaps 2nd nature to some. Not yet for me. I like the set up way too much to go back to flats. I'm giving it until Thanksgiving, if it is not better I'll go to doctor.


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## JDM (May 2, 2008)

I banged my knee on a flat rock hard enough this summer that the skin popped open in a 2"+ long gash down to the knee cap. We scrubbed it out with peroxide and held it closed with steri-strips. I really hate going to the doctor so I didn't get stitches.

It hurt enough the next couple days that I had to lift my leg into bed with my hands.

I was back to biking and running after 2 weeks. No lasting effects except the cool scar.

As long as it is feeling a little better each day I wouldn't go to the doctor.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Here is what happened about a year ago... Fell on a tight switchback that turned into a narrow downhill bridge and i went OTB trying to avoid a glass bottle and when i tried to stop it, it was too late and fell over with my knee hitting a sharp rock. You can't see it in the picture but i was left with a flap of meat hanging. I went to the truck and cut it off with scissors and went back to riding. I guess i didn't feel much at the time because my adrenaline was at full speed at the time. But for the next 2 weeks it was torture. I could barely walk. The pictures show 3 stages of recuperation.


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