Sore knees

[outdoorsgurl]

I'm sure this subject has probably been discussed here before but I didn't look through all the health topics.

My knees get sore after riding. They don't really bother me very much during the ride.......maybe a little after about 20 miles (I might have a little pain)..... but it's more about the soreness when stooping down and getting back up! That's when they hurt! Can anyone relate and offer advice on prevention?
Thanks in advance!

[Blueberry]

Bike fit, bike fit, bike fit. If that's not the problem, make sure you're strengthening your hips too. I had checked off the bike fit issues, so we're (me and my PT) working on building hip strength now.

Where is the pain? How would you describe it? That might help others give you more specific advice.

[sundial]

..it's more about the soreness when stooping down and getting back up!

What do you mean by "stooping down"? A deep knee bend?

[outdoorsgurl]

Yeah...that's what I MEANT to say!....a 'deep knee bend'.Exactly! It hurts when I do a deep knee bend and when I stand back up. Very sore and painful after a long bike ride. I saw that Catrin re-posted the 'osteoarthritis' topic. I'm thinking that may be my problem.

[KnottedYet]

Osteoarthritis is a boney change. Arthritis is all the time.

If your knees hurt all the time, you can think about arthritis.

If your knees only hurt after biking, it's the bike.

(BTW - everyone over the age of 20 has some "arthritis." It only becomes a factor when it hurts all the time.)

[outdoorsgurl]

My knees don't hurt all the time so guess it's my bike.

[KnottedYet]

Blueberry said it best: "bike fit, bike fit, bike fit"

[Pedal Wench]

Could also be a spinning vs. mashing issue. If knees hurt, spin. Don't mash.

[outdoorsgurl]

That's it! I have been mashing instead of spinning. I always thought riding in a higher gear gave a better leg workout/ build more muscle. Guess I need to change that habit. I'm pretty sure that's what has caused the knee pain.

I'm going to be taking my bike in this week to be serviced so I will also make sure my fit is correct.

Thanks to everyone for the great advice!

[Karma007]

That's it! I have been mashing instead of spinning. I always thought riding in a higher gear gave a better leg workout/ build more muscle. Guess I need to change that habit. I'm pretty sure that's what has caused the knee pain.

As a chronic knee pain sufferer, I can tell you that a $30 Cateye computer + cadence sensor has completely changed the way I ride. Keeping the cadence high helps a great deal.