Yeouch! Knee problems.

[LoisLaneinIND]

Girlies -

As I've been riding, I notice that a few miles in (which, for the newbie that I am, equals about half way) one of my knees gets tight -- kind of like a rubber band that's been pulled too tight. It's only on the outer side of my knee cap, and if I pull my leg off the pedal and flex it a few times, it seems to get better -- kind of like I'm unkinking it. (Sorry to be so inelegant in my explanation, but it's the only way I can describe it.) It doesn't happen every ride, but when it does, that feeling of "tightness" continues for a bit.

Since it's only one knee, I don't think it's a problem with my saddle height, but I don't know. Any thoughts? Maybe I'm just a weirdo. :-)

Gracias!!

[KnottedYet]

Howdy!

do a search for "ITB" or "iliotibial band". There have been a few threads, and it sounds like that's what you're dealing with.

Probably not related to saddle height, more likely it's an imbalance you deal with all the time, but which is more noticeable on the bike.

Pretty common for those of us with "real" hips. (men don't have real hips...)



Edit: I should've said "not caused by saddle height". Thanks, songlady. I lowered my seat to make mine better, too. Still got ITB issues, but I do what I can to minimize them.

[songlady]

Actually, I would double check that seat height. I am currently suffering from ITBS and lowering the saddle is one of the most significantly beneficial changes I have made in the past few months.

[yellow]

ITBFS sufferer here. Pedals with float are ESSENTIAL. Without such a thing, I wouldn't be riding!

[bikerchick68]

I also had an ITLB issue... got a professional fit by John Howard (I'm lucky he's local!) and he did SO much to change my fit I was floored... RAISED my saddle 3/4 inch, changed my cleat position, moved saddle forward, put shims in my cleats cause I was riding like a duck, and told me I had to go to NO FLOAT pedals! I am the exception to the rule, but I need pedals that prevent float or I splay my feet and overpronate badly... I had been off the bike for 2 months with the SAME issues you described... got fit and rode my first century the next month! Fit was in Jan last year, first cent was Tour de Palm Springs... and NO pain!

Good luck and whatever you do, DON'T ignore it and assume it's normal like I did...

[emily_in_nc]

I was diagnosed with ITB Syndrome in my left leg after my third century in five weeks (yeah, stupid, I know, but it was a flat century!!) a few years ago. I pedaled for 80 miles in pain. Doc had me lower my saddle (I had raised it a bit a couple of weeks prior), and even though it's now lower than the "books" say it should be, I have never had a recurrence.

He also started me on a regular program of ITB stretches, and I still do the standing one regularly. Here's an example of some ITB stretches.

Never had a problem since.

ITB is usually associated with upping your mileage rather quickly -- it's normally an early-season injury. Sounds like this is the case with the OP.

Don't increase your mileage too fast, make sure your seat is not too high, and stretch!!

Emily

P.S. For me, the float of my pedals was not an issue - I was riding unlimited-float Speedplay X series when this happened. I can ride pedals with less float without recurrence.

[Cassandra_Cain]

I'm obviously not a doctor and it is impossible to say what you have over the internet.

However, I did have ITBS once and actually, it was from one thing above all others......too low a seat height. One thing I noticed about having it, was that climbing stairs was painful/tender. Perhaps your symptoms are different.

Anyway, I would raise the seat up until the point where you start bouncing in the saddle when pedaling. Then from that point, I'd lower it just enough to eliminate the movement and no more.