Newbie with knee pain

[Biking Mama]

Okay ladies this newbie needs your help. I've been riding for just about 6 weeks and started having pain in my right knee a month ago. At first I thought it was related to many hours on the eliptical machine at the gym, or lunges in aerobics class, but I stopped both activities several weeks ago and still have pain on the bike. What do I do? I still want to ride but don't want to aggrevate the situation. Could it be the bike?

Thanks

[Hillandale]

Are you using clipless pedals? If so, are you sure they are adjusted correctly for you leg and foot to move properly? If the cleats are positioned incorrectly on the shoe, it can make you torque your knee as you pedal, and that could lead to pain.

[Kimred]

I second Hillandale the Cleat Placement is Crucial in preventing knee pain.
Also make sure your bike seat is neither to high or too low as either can cause stress on the knee. If your having that much pain you should have a professional bike fit to prevent more serious injuries, a good bike fit is the smartest money to invest it cycling.

[Bike Goddess]

To add to what has already been said- you might look at getting "floating" cleats (assuming you are riding clipless). I have them and my old arthritic knees are fine when I ride (NOT fine when I walk!!).

[bikerchick68]

first of all... WHERE is the pain? Outside knee? Under the knee cap? Behind the knee? Inside knee? there are different issues that cause each problem! check out this link for more info!

http://www.roadcycling.com/training/kneepain.shtml



I had a serious issue with bike fit that I was unaware of... my saddle was WAY too low... and I was riding pedals with float... which in my case actually contributed to the problem! This is something I would NEVER have figured out on my own... and resulted in just over 2 months off the bike while I healed. I paid for a fit... best $200 I have spent on cycling... people often as shocked at the $ I spent on the fit... but I figure I had a bike that cost WAY more than that hanging on the garage wall since my knees were blown out and I couldn't ride... it was well worth it to be able to ride PAIN FREE!

good luck... I empathize having been there myself...

[allabouteva]

I'm a newbie too, and I totally agree with getting the bike properly fitted. My friend is a physiotherapist, and a mad keen cyclist, and he helped me a lot with setting up the bike. I had both knees in pain, and what it was that I was reaching over too far and putting too much pressure on my hands, and not sitting on the bike properly.

So we adjusted, the cleat positioning on my shoes, the seat forward quite a bit, seat angle up a bit, and seat height was lowered half an inch. And bingo The bike is now AWESOME!!

Don't put up with the pain, it shouldn't have to hurt.

Take care out there!

[latelatebloomer]

bike...good! pain...bad! Are you "mashing" your pedals (riding with a lot of resistance) a lot? I think that we beginners tend to do that, and it's good to work on keeping the bike in an easier gear and moving those legs faster. Also, find a really good "go to" woman or man. I had nagging hip pain all summer, the VERY nice man at the LBS had set my seat about 1 1/2 inches too low - this after eyeballing me sitting on the bike while he held the handlebars. When I talked to a cycling coach, I said, "pain here." He said, "seat too low." Ya gotta find the people who know, as opposed to the people who think they know....

Let that knee get better! Cold compresses, arnica, rest - can you take a break from the exercise that stresses the knee and do other things - swimming, yoga, weights?

[mary9761]

My guess echoeing what others have said would be seat height. I know at one point I was having knee pain and once I got my seat adjusted to the proper height for me, my knees weren't getting the strain they were getting previously.
Now if I have knee pain, I know I've pushed it too much in the cold weather. I had to readjust the seat height on my stationary as well. Made all the difference in the world.

[Nanci]

The first thing I'd try is raising the seat by quarter inch increments. When the pedals are level, your tibia should be straight up and down, as a kind of guideline. You should have a slight bend in your knee when your leg is straight down as far as it will go. I've heard that knee pain is often due to the seat being too low, (kind of opposite of what you'd think) so I'd start in that direction.

Nanci

[KSH]

My knee pain early on was due to my cleats not being situated properly on my pedals and me mashing through, instead of spinning.

I then bought SpeedPlays (with float) for my clipless pedal...and I learned how to spin.

After about 2 months, my knee pain was all gone. And I had acute knee pain. It would hurt so bad, I would have to pedal with 1 leg at the end of a ride.

That's what worked for me. I'm not a Dr. or a professional, so I can't say what will work for you.

[Biking Mama]

I've made arrangements for a formal fitting on the bike and will check into floating gear. I do like a bit of tension while riding...what is spinning?

[DeniseGoldberg]

I do like a bit of tension while riding...what is spinning?

If you are pushing high gears, that could very well be the cause of your knee pain.

Here's a description of pushing vs. spinning from Sheldon Brown's web site (at http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears.html

"Pushing" a high gear at a slow cadence is like power lifting. It is good for building up muscle mass and bulking up your legs, but it does little for your heart or lungs, and you can hurt yourself if you overdo it.

"Spinning" a lower gear at a rapid cadence is more like swimming. The rapid motion, with many repetitions makes the legs supple and flexible, it is highly aerobic, and the light pressure that goes with this style reduces wear and tear on the joints. With practice "spinning" becomes easier and more comfortable.

--- Denise

[velodrome.co.nr]

i've had alot of knee pain over the years and lost count of the numerous books etc I have bought that help with this issue.
I even went to get re-measured up for my bike and had cleats realigned etc
So believe me I've done and explored every option.
I just put my knee pain down to long hard seasons and the requirement of rest. As i only seem to get problems in the off season.

[Dogmama]

Velodrome,

One thing about knee pain - once you injure those little ligaments, etc., they're easily re-injured unless they're completed rehabbed.

When I started working out, it was during the Jane Fonda/Jazzercise era. We wore cute (?) outfits and NO SHOES. We jumped around on concrete. Knee pain was constant.

Proper cycling, e.g., no mashing & pedaling in a circle, has really helped. I still get knee pain, but it isn't as severe (I couldn't push down the clutch on my wimpy Toyota truck 20 years ago.)

Good fit, of course, is essential.