knees

[Biciclista]

ok, so once upon a time, my husband was told that cycling would strengthen his knees, and would be absolutely vital to keeping him from ending up in surgery again. And it's true. He now has beautifullly muscled knees and to see him walk or ride you'd never know he's had 3 knee surgeries.

So why are my knees always hurting after a ride? It's not like I'm not in shape; i don't believe i'm over doing it. I'm supposedly training for a couple rides (in a couple weeks!) but even after 34 mile ride with 1500 feet of altitude gain, I am sore the next day. It's generalized pain around the knee area; nothing specific, and it hurts to sit, feels better to walk. (I got a foot bench which sits under my desk and helps)

[Veronica]

If I try to push too big of a gear while climbing my knees hurt. If it's cold my knees hurt. If I sit too long my knees hurt. And I'm only 42!

Veronica

[Crankin]

Any time I use the big gear more than just a teeny bit, my knees get achy later that day and when I wake up the next morning. If I combine that with going up and down the stairs in my house or walking/running, it will morph into something more.
Hence, I rarely use the big gear.

[jobob]

Could it be that your crank is too wide or too narrow, or your cleats are a bit mis-aligned for your knees?

If my cleats are a bit off I can feel it in my knees.

Perhaps a professional bike fitting would help. I know they can be pricey, but it might be worth it in the long run.

[SadieKate]

There are so many reasons that a tome could be written. Bike fit, cleat position, q-factor, chronic muscular-skeletal issues, genetics, skeletal structure, pushing too big a gear, etc. Nobody here can give you an answer, only a bazillion guesses.

I'd read Andy Pruitt's and Arnie Baker's books, get multiple someone's to check your bike fit and talk to an orthopod. You may be stuck with it (I am with chronic chondromalacia) but you can't hope to fix the problem if you don't know what it is. And no one here can diagnose over the net.

[Biciclista]

I have Pruitt's book, and I have been professionally fitted and refitted, thanks. In the past you guys told me to slow down for a bit and that helped. I am thinking it goes with the territory. I'll mention it to my doctor when I see her later this month.

Thanks everyone.

[OakLeaf]

What SK said...

but, when you were fitted, did they check crankarm length? With my knees, alignment can be perfect, but if I'm flexing my knees too much at the top of the stroke, I'm going to have problems.

[Cataboo]

If my seat height is wrong or crankarm length - I definitely feel it more in my knees.

If I do start having knee pain on a ride (I adjust seat height or whatever if it's something like that), I start gearing down and stay geared down and spin more, which tends to make things nicer for my knees.

[Biciclista]

it's possible my seat has shifted, but yes, i was meticulously measured for crank arm length, all that stuff.

[Cataboo]

it's possible my seat has shifted, but yes, i was meticulously measured for crank arm length, all that stuff.

Shorter cranks are just easier on the knees, less leverage & range of motion for the knees. So while you were measured for what should be right - it doesn't mean that shorter cranks wouldn't help. If someone has bad knees to begin with (not that I'm saying you do), regardless of whether they fit 175 mm cranks, smaller cranks are going to be easier on their knees
http://www.roble.net/marquis//crank.length

Maybe just try riding at an easier gear than your normally do for a bit and see if that makes things easier?

[Biciclista]

Catriona, it doesn't help that sometimes I am just in the wrong gear, and that's usually going to happen when i'm trying to climb a hill. I am certainly taking suggestions under advisement. I wrote to my PT guy and I will mention it to my dr.

[Cataboo]

I don't know if this helps - but do your rides start off with a nice flat section or do you start climbing hills immediately? If I ride out of my house, I've got about a 4 mile flat section before I have any hills, and I find that really helps to get me warmed up and my muscles loosened.

If I ride out of my bf's house, it's 2-3 miles of hill climbs immediately, and it kills me even though it's really not that hard a hill. My knees & muscles just don't like immediately starting to climb.

I was thinking about you yesterday - Sunday I biked out from the bf's and my right knee was tight & achy the entire time, I just couldn't get it loosened up. I rode out from my house yesterday, the knee started out tight, but it eventually loosened up after the warm up and felt fine the rest of the ride.

I need to try getting on the trainer and actually warming up before riding out from his house and seeing if it makes it start off easier.

I told him he needed to move or I needed a new bf

[Biciclista]

the first block i ride is 6% grade up. then it levels off for 3 blocks and then at the top of the 4th block, it's about 11-12% grade. then i go down hill for the rest of the ride (to work). Coming home, I have 2 miles before I get to the 6-8% grade that lasts about 1/4 of a mile. plus some little overpass humps as well.

That 11-12% grade downhill home bound is always very sweet.

So although I can choose some non-hilly rides, i can't NOT do a hill for starters.

DH looked at me and stated that he thought my saddle was in the right place. (It's certainly comfortable where it is!)

[Cataboo]

I'm out of ideas, I hope you figure it out! I sometimes pre-dose with ibuprofen before a ride.

If you knees hurt equally after riding to work vs. coming home from work, then it's probably not needing a warm up.

[Biciclista]

Thanks Cat!
I do appreciate your suggestions, I am waiting to hear back from the PT guy.
(i guess this is his busiest month of the year, which is why i didn't bother to try and make an appt.)