cycling knee pain

Cycling Knee Pain – Some thoughts about how to avoid this.

Cycling knee pain can literally put a stop to your normal training programme if not addressed properly. However, there are some simple steps that can help to solve the problem. The knee is quite a complex joint so even though knee pain is a common injury, treating it can vary depending on the person concerned. Also it’s the biggest joint in the body which means as a cyclist it should be your top priority to minimize any damage that might occur to the knee.

It goes without saying that if you are serious about cycling you will need proper equipment. Factors that need considering is whether the bike is well suited to your body and that you are well positioned on the bike. In reality you and the bike need to move in harmony because if there is any misalignment, then your knee joints will suffer. Try adjusting your seat and saddle position to get the correct height and avoid placing unnecessary stress on your joints.

A lot of people start cycling in order to get fit and realize that once they are experiencing knee pain their muscles are actually not ready. Usually the problem lies in the strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings when cycling. These two muscles need to be strong enough to carry one another so that the knee cap supports the knee effectively.  If this is not treated then your cartilage can start degrading and lead to more serious problems. Before you even get on a bike you must prepare for your body especially your legs for the repetitive cycling motion they will perform.

The most common cause of knee pain is caused by too much stress on the knee because of increased mileage and intensity of the exercise. A lot of knee pain can be avoided if cyclists increase their training intensity gradually so that the body and joints get a chance to adjust to the new workout. Cycle according to your own fitness level and don’t overdo it because the body needs time to gain all the strength needed to cycle effectively. Another related mistake that cyclist do is over stressing their legs by using a gear that is too high. The key is to gradually buildup to a higher gear over time.

Cycling knee pain can also be caused by an incorrect alignment of shoe cleats which should be adjusted according to the natural angle of your feet. When riding you need to get as much of a natural movement as you would when walking and having your cleats adjusted to your own natural walking angle prevents knee pain.

It is very important for cyclist to adopt a holistic approach when they are cycling. Your diet in between training sessions is just as important as the muscle strengthening exercises.  Proper nutrition and hydration is essential for maintaining healthy muscles and joints. Problems will not present themselves as much if your body’s healing systems are working properly. Along with proper shoes and knee braces you can help alleviate a painful knee. Message and hot therapy is also recommended as part of the whole holistic approach. Knee pain affecting a major joint such as a knee will not go away overnight so take the time needed for your body to heal.

Steve’s Health Answers provides the latest natural health news, research and tips about Joint Care and Arthritis. For more details and our free newsletter, please visit http://www.steveshealthanswers.com

cycling knee pain

What is the Cause of Cycling Knee Pain?

A thick band of fibrous tissue (iliotibial band) runs on the outside of the leg from the hip to the knee. When cyclists just begin a training program, they tend to ride a little fast. As a result the band becomes tight and rubs over the bony surfaces of the knee causing cycling knee pain. If you are inclined to push to excessively high gears while cycling, it could lead to discomfort in the calf muscles causing cycling knee pain.

The weak quadriceps (muscles in the legs) are responsible for cycling knee pain. We use these muscle groups to straighten our knees when pumping our legs whilst cycling or going up stairs. The short section of the tendon below the kneecap is prone to inflammation. This can be caused by doing a lot of cycling. The position of the knee is determined by your anatomy. Ideally your knees will be directly over the pedals while cycling. But if you are bow legged, your knees will tend to be off from the top tube. This puts a strain on your knee and may injure the ligaments and tendons in the knee joint.

You have to adjust the saddle height to suit your anatomy. If the height of the saddle is not at the correct level for your height, you are likely to experience cycling knee pain. You may also experience cycling knee pain if the crank in your bike is too long.

If the height if the seat is adjusted to suit your knee it may ease the pressure placed on the knee. If the seat is too low, stress is placed on the knee below the patella. If the seat is too high, pain may develop behind the knee. This can lead to cycling knee pain.

While riding a bicycle your hips should not rock back and forth. Saddles that are towards the back make the cyclist reach for the pedal thereby stretching the iliotibial band and causing cycling knee pain.

You can reduce the discomfort of cycling knee pain to a great extent by strengthening the quadriceps muscles (which run along the front of the thigh and stabilize the kneecap). Avoid repeated bending of the knees which causes damage to the tissue behind the patella (kneecap). You can also reduce the incidence of cycling knee pain if you widen the stance on the pedal when you next go on a cycling trip.

cycling knee pain

Cycling Knee Pain and How To Avoid It

Cycling Knee Pain

is a common condition even though cycling is a low impact exercise. Knee pain can occur as a result of poor technique or position and the repetitive action of cycling. If left unattended, knee pain can hinder a lot of your activities. So it’s best to deal with it as soon as it starts because you can trigger an inflammatory response. Increasing micro-trauma from continuing with the repetitive activity eventually leads to a more serious injury. But pain associated with cycling has a variety of reasons and you may need to go through a short checklist in order to identify your problem:

A common cycling-related injury is called chondromalacia, and has to do with irritation of the cartilage pad in the socket which provides lubrication for this joint. An edge of this cartilage can get worn out causing irritation and inflammation. What’s needed is to strengthen the quadriceps muscles which run along the front of the thigh and along side the front of the kneecap. One of the common exercises is to sit in a chair with one leg at a time held out straight, unsupported. You can also use a weight which is placed on the foot for this exercise. If you make a conscious effort to avoid lateral knee movement during the pedal stroke, you’ll find that your body soon starts to learn to cycle in a straight line.

You might have started cycling recently and maybe overdoing it slightly. If this is the case, take it easy in the beginning and instead try to focus on getting your body used to the new workout. Cycling is very repetitive; during 1 hour of cycling, a rider may average up to 5,000 pedal revolutions. Even the smallest amount of misalignment can lead to an unsatisfactory work out and pain.

You may have the wrong seat and saddle position. If the seat is too low, too much stress is being placed on the knee from the patellar and quadriceps tendons. If the seat is too high, pain may develop behind the knee. So your seat height is very important so that you don’t put unnecessary force on your knees. Also, If you find that your hips rock back and forth when you pedal it means that your legs have to stretch to far to reach the bottom of the pedal stroke. If your hips rock when pedalling, lower your saddle until you achieve a smooth pedal stroke.

Some knee problems result from incorrect placement of shoe cleats. Everybody has a natural angle that each of their feet prefers to be at. When you walk or ride with plain pedals, your foot assumes this angle without any difficulty. If you use cleated shoes and matching pedals, it is important that the cleat is adjusted so as to permit your foot to be at its natural angle. If your cleats are not adjusted well, the resulting twist on your lower leg will affect the alignment of the knee joint, and cause serious knee pain.

Another primary cause of knee problems is over-stress as the result of using a gear that is too high. Try to use a gear that allows you to pedal quickly, from 70 to 100 strokes per minute. It can be as simple as individual cycling anatomy which is causing the pain. Cyclists with slight differences in leg length may have knee pain because the seat height is only adjusted for one side. Shoe inserts can help correct this problem. Try using knee braces to give you that added support and stability to your knee.

Nutrition is vitally important for cyclists. Although cycling has a lower impact on your joints than many sports, it can still cause wear and tear, particularly with misalignment. Your body will by and large repair itself given good quality nutrition. Many joint problems can be minimised or avoided altogether with optimal nutrition as this provides the building blocks needed for repair. A lot of the time, nutritional issues only really show up when an injury occurs or is slow to heal.

Please see our guide “The Health Crisis” for more details. You can get a free copy by putting your email address into the form on the top right hand side of this page.

Steve’s Health Answers provides the latest natural health news, research and tips about Joint Care and Arthritis. For more details and our free newsletter, please visit http://www.steveshealthanswers.com

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