Knee Pain Bike Riding
Cleat position and rotation is also important.
Knee pain bike riding. You need to have the right equipment and engage in the exercise correctly for cycling to be good for your knees. This could lead you to think that cycling is bad for your knees but that s not necessarily true. Medial and lateral knee pain pain on the inner side and the outer side of the knee can be traced back to improper bike fit and anatomical problems. Saddle position and cleat adjustment are the two primary areas of concern when treating knee pain from cycling.
The most common cause of patellar tendonitis is a seat that is too low. Riding a bike is a low impact exercise but knee pain for cycling enthusiasts is common. Lowering your saddle so that there is at least 27 to 37 degrees of knee flexion will prevent you from extending the. For example if your seat is at a height that situates your foot too far forward on the pedal you may place unwanted tension on the muscles located just above the knee.
Pain behind the knee or along the outside of the knee. A good bike fit is essential for preventing most causes of knee pain. One of the most common overuse injuries in endurance sports is patellofemoral kneecap pain striking 36 percent of professional cyclists and comprising 20 percent of all running injuries. Here s a guide to help you trace.
Pain at the front of the knee on and around the knee cap patella is the most common presentation of cycling overuse injuries in part due to the anatomy of this area. From a bike fit point of view. A saddle that is too high will cause you to reach for the pedals placing more stress on the hamstring tendons behind the knee and the iliotibial band on the outside of the knee near its point of insertion. But before you head to a bike fitter or medical professional try a little self diagnosis.
In cases of medial knee pain the height of the saddle and its fore aft position needs to be checked. Raising the seat so that your leg is near full extension about 15 to 30 degrees of knee flexion is ideal at the bottom of your pedal stroke will relieve pressure on the patellar tendon.