Stronger than surgery: how the muscle factor got one cyclist back up and running without knee surgery

Paul, a 60-year-old club cyclist and keen walker, was devastated by the sudden onset of serious knee problems. The inevitable answer seemed to be surgery, but Paul found another route to recovery — with remarkable success. Here he shares his story.

“My problems started early in 2021, when I suddenly developed bi-lateral pain on the inside of both knee joints. Suddenly, I could no longer lead the active life I’d always taken for granted. This came as a real shock.

A bleak outlook

“MRI scans revealed minor meniscal tears and subtle bone bruising in both knees. Attempts to rehab my knees through strength and flexibility exercises didn’t seem to help me, although I managed to maintain a much-reduced regime of walking and some cycling.

“After three months I was referred for cortisone injections, but these didn’t improve my condition, and it was suggested that the next step would be surgery.

A different answer

“I was fearful of surgery having read that it didn’t always help, so instead I decided to buy an e-bike. This proved to be a turning point as I was able to return to some cycling activity, albeit with the support of an electric motor! More importantly it got me riding with my clubmates again — and was much more fun that I’d anticipated.

Mind over matter

“I also began to realise that I may be suffering from chronic pain syndrome and was focusing too much on how my knees felt. Pain, after all, is something you experience in the mind. Over the rest of the year, I carried on riding my e-bike and slowly increased my walking levels; gradually my confidence returned.

Active again

“It’s now 2022, and several months ago I transitioned back to my regular bikes and am back riding club runs of up to 100km with no difficulties. I’m also regularly enjoying 10-mile hikes. My knees still feel a bit uncomfortable at times, but I’m hoping that I’ll avoid some of the pitfalls associated with surgery, such as arthritis in later life.”

The road to recovery…

Paul’s training stats for the past two years reveal a striking picture of the impact of knee problems on activity, and, perhaps more remarkably, the dramatic rate of recovery achieved by adopting an exercise regime suited to his needs and lifestyle.

Exercise beats surgery

In a previous blog, Professor Hart explained how invasive hip and knee surgery can be - and that it’s by no means the perfect solution to joint pain. Our research demonstrates the power of exercise in managing and preventing joint issues.

Professor Hart says:

“Paul’s experience is a great example of the power of the muscle factor. Exercise and active lifestyles not only help prevent knee and hip joint problems, but in many cases can provide the complete solution for recovery, while avoiding the many problems that surgery creates. All the evidence of our studies at Exercise for Science so far support this view. It might seem strange for a surgeon to be advising against surgery, but I wholeheartedly believe in exercise over medical intervention for joint health and wider wellbeing.”