knee pain

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

September 7, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment

Cycling Pain in the knee and what to do about it.
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

knee pain

How to Avoid Bad Knee Pain

June 26, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment

Pain in the knees can mean many different things to each of us as there are different causes of the problem. The treatment that is involved to reduce the pain depends on the cause. The first step is to identify the cause of the pain; it can be de to the inflammation of the knee joint or the weakness in the surrounding soft tissues. Stretched or torn muscles of the knee can lead to painful knee joints.

As we grow older the bones around the knee become weak due to osteoporosis or other related weakness in the bones. This can cause joint problems and sometimes a fracture in the knee cannot be ruled out. Minor tears on the outer layers of cartilage in the knee, which protects the knee joint and takes the force of impact on the knee, heal by themselves in a few days just by resting the affected area.

Sometimes surgery is required to treat the knee pain. Generally patients recover well after surgery. But, since the cushioning effect on the knee is reduced, the wear on the cartilage and other connective tissues present at the bone ends increases. Therefore, there is all the probability that such persons may face an increased risk of arthritis in the future.

Over the counter medicines are available to make you feel better if you experience knee pain. This is especially useful if the pain in the knee is in the initial stages where the damage to the joint is minimal. This also means that the surrounding connective tissues have not been affected by the condition.

To avoid the painful condition, you have to take particular care to avoid all activities that place unnecessary stress on the knee joints. If your daily activities include a lot of bending and squatting, where your legs do not get any rest, you have to wear knee braces to prevent further damage to the knee joints.

If chronic inflammation of the knee joint is the cause of the pain condition, a medical practitioner will recommend that you try one or several treatment protocols to ease the pain and to stop the progress of the inflammation in the joints and the surrounding areas. This is one aspect that will bring in pain relief to people who have weight in excess of recommended limits, especially the elderly.

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Tagged: knee pain

knee pain

Knee Pain Due To Running: Causes and remedies

June 24, 2009 by Steve Butler · Leave a Comment

Major sports related injuries usually involve the legs and a part of these injuries cause serious damage to the knee joints. Irritation of the tendons that attach your muscles to the bones can cause severe pain or swelling around the kneecap particularly when you are running, jumping or doing activities which require climbing long distances. This is the cause of a condition known as knee pain due to running especially in athletes such as long distance runners and professional cyclists.

Keeping the various muscle groups in balance is important to long term knee function. Strong outer thigh muscles can over power the muscles of your inner thigh, a consequence of this can be a dislocation of your kneecap causing the condition known as knee pain running as this creates friction and wear on your cartilage. If you ignore the symptoms put out by your knee in this stage it may even lead to osteoarthritis.

Are you at risk of knee pain due to running? The elderly and people with excess body weight and athletes need to pay particular attention to their knees. They have to take definite steps to protect their knees. Exercises may be useful for strengthening the joints and helping the muscles around your knee to work together more effectively reducing your risk of being affected with the condition.

When excessive pressure is exerted on the knee, the cartilage that is present around the kneecap swells and this is the first causative factor for the condition known as knee pain due to running. Strenuous exercises and continuous running over a long period may lead to pain in front of the knee. In the field of surgery, the greatest advances have been in joint replacement, keyhole surgery and use of bio materials like artificial ligaments. The advantage of artificial ligaments to be used for alleviate the suffering of people affected by the knee pain due to running condition is that no healthy tissue from elsewhere in your body is lost.

When knee pain occurs there will be a restriction on the movement of the knee. Pain may be experienced more intensely while walking up and down stairs as it becomes difficult to bend and straighten the knee. A physiotherapist may advice specific exercises that aim to strengthen the muscle groups that function as a support system and help to move the knee joint.