Front of knee pain

I've been wondering if I could pry into the experienced minds that roam here to ask a question: I've been having pain in the [I]front[I] of my knees when I ride. It's mostly in my left knee but today it was in both. I've been told I have an "asymmetrical" pelvis but haven't tried inserts. I use Look cleats and have tried to tinker with the position to aleviate the pain but to no avail. I've read that the front of the knee hurts if you're underextending but I feel quite extended. Should I just get my bike professionally fit? This dull aching is getting old and I'm only 22!

Definitely get your bike fit! Knee pain can also be a problem with the fore and aft position of your saddle. It's worth the $75 or so.

Also have your PT teach you how to straighten out your pelvis and teach you exercises to strengthen the muscles that hold your pelvis aligned. Every woman runs into pelvic obliquity at some point, and there are a kajillion different (fast and easy!) tricks to correct the alignment of your ilia and sacrum. Your PT can try a few with you, and find the one that works best for you.

Most only take about 30-60 seconds, then you use your abs and butt muscles to hold your pelvis in the corrected position. As those pelvic and lumbar stabilizers get stronger they will automatically correct your pelvis before it even starts thinking about slipping around. (which is exactly what they're supposed to do) Then you only need to use your tricks if something really wacky happens that overwhelms the stabilizers. Like, for instance, trying to push a car out of a snowbank all by yourself... hmmmm, who'd do something like that?:D

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Like, for instance, trying to push a car out of a snowbank all by yourself... hmmmm, who'd do something like that?:D

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The lonely driver stuck in a snowbank, that's who. Which is why we always have a shovel and some strips of old carpeting in the back of our car, along with the quick-x-clamps (emergency chains). Norway has lots of snow and a low population density, so the snowbank alone situation definitely has to be anticipated. Guess we should keep a physical therapist back there for post-snowbank therapy as well. :rolleyes:

Luckily I was on my way to work, so I got one of the PTs to fix me as soon as I dragged my sorry self into the clinic! I did everything wrong when I tried to push the car. Poor body mechanics! Someone should've taken a picture and labelled it "what not to do". That one was a baddie, and I was sore for almost a week....:o