Did you start cycling to recover you knees?

qeaou

Initially I thought it was just me (if the general category of the thread is incorrect let me know)

started cycling after serious teenage knee injury during snowboarding and then mid-20's injury in kickboxing,
a decade later, I could not continue running or even jogging.
After a few years of cycling, I can run again, and pretty much don't feel any residual pain from past conditions,
including torn meniscus, ligament tears, or even patellar pain during running.

I did experience however, that many cyclists who started later like me, went for this (the most amazing and addictive sport) after very similar injuries, and had similar experiences.

Are you one of them?
if so, what have been your experiences?

lc1981

This was the case with me, although I was already an occasional cyclist and your knee problem sounds a lot more serious than mine. I hadn't cycled regularly for years until a few years back when I bought a mountain bike. I didn't really use it as much as I planned, but when I started to get pain in my right knee when I sat down for long periods at work, I went to the doctor and he recommended that I cycle more often to strengthen the muscles around the joint. Following a few other things happening that encouraged me to cycle more, I bought my first road bike at the end of last year and I haven't looked back. I now ride approximately 1,000 km a month, and my knee troubles are a distant memory. I did have a very painful knee on one occasion after a ride, but it wasn't the one that I had the original problem with and the pain had gone in a few days.

BowtomePhil

I cycle because I can't run, well I can run, but it hurts my knee. Too much 5-a-side football.

My knee doesn't hurt when cycling, so I can keep/get fit, lose weight and my knee does feel stronger, still wouldn't jog though, mainly cause it is boring.

Inutero

BowtomePhil wrote:

I cycle because I can't run, well I can run, but it hurts my knee. Too much 5-a-side football.

My knee doesn't hurt when cycling, so I can keep/get fit, lose weight and my knee does feel stronger, still wouldn't jog though, mainly cause it is boring.

Same story. Used to run around the park with my dogs but i have a condition called Osgood–Schlatter disease i got when i was a kid, which after about 10 miles almost seized up my left knee. Got a cheap bike instead, dogs get more excercise in the same time. And i got an excuse to buy a road bike :P

Bozman

If got an odd knee - My left knee went playing 5 aside and i've had the cartilage done twice, this shafted my running and any sport with squating or lunging.
I can cycle fine as long as i cycle a few times a week, if i go away for 2 weeks it'll take me a month to build my mileage back up, i'd be lucky to complete 10 miles after a 2 week lay off.
However much i push that knee cycling around the peak and staff moors i never get a problem, if i run around the back garden playing football with the kids for ten minutes and the knee's f***ked.
The odd thing is that the turbo trainer has zero effect on the knee, i might as well not use the thing and i just can't figure that one out.

danowat

Pretty much.

I started running to lose weight, damaged knee in a half marathon and couldn't run anymore, so took up cycling

keef66

Knackered my knees playing football and running down mountains with a heavy backpack. Never really enjoyed running so I was delighted when my orthopaedic surgeon told me not to after my 3rd knee op.

I can cycle all day without it affecting my knees.

richyharv

I have just bought my first road bike after suffering years of football related knee injuies. Ive had right knee cartilage clean up. But more serious i had a hamstring tendon graft reconstruction of the ACL to my left knee three years ago. I am never going to play football again and its really not worth the risk for me. So road cycling seemed a good option for me. Just waiting for my wheels to turn up in the post now.

tiredofwhiners

Kind of..... even after two years of gym I was still heavy and really didn't enjoy the running at any point and I just fancied the bike as I live in Leicestershire/Lincolnshire area so there weren't any hills.

Then we moved to Surrey and on to Hampshire ..... :roll:

karlth

I cycle because I hate most sports and would rather eat my own earwax than run. Cycling you can take a breather and freewheel for a bit when you need to, uphills notwithstanding.

mike6

Same here. Did my right knee running, a piece of bone flaked off and caught in the joint. I had an op but they could not flush out the floater as it went into the joint??

So....I started cycling and I can ride all day with no problems. I believe its not only the muscle it builds to stabalise the joint but also the traction effect from pulling up on the clipless pedals.

I still cant run though, anything more than a jog on grass brings on the old injury, and its a shame, I would love to be able to run fast again.

In one way the injury did some good though, It introduced me to cycling and gave me a passion for watching cycle sport.

astrazen

Snapped my cruciate amongst other things during MMA fight. Haven't been able to run or jog for 3 years.

Just started cycling and all is well so far.

BowtomePhil

astrazen wrote:

Snapped my cruciate amongst other things during MMA fight. Haven't been able to run or jog for 3 years.

Just started cycling and all is well so far.

Brave guys you MMA fighters. Glad to see cycling helps

qeaou

BowtomePhil wrote:

I cycle because I can't run, well I can run, but it hurts my knee. Too much 5-a-side football.

My knee doesn't hurt when cycling, so I can keep/get fit, lose weight and my knee does feel stronger, still wouldn't jog though, mainly cause it is boring.

Agree with that!
I only do quick runs to get the heart going for cycling now.

qeaou

Bozman wrote:

If got an odd knee - My left knee went playing 5 aside and i've had the cartilage done twice, this shafted my running and any sport with squating or lunging.
I can cycle fine as long as i cycle a few times a week, if i go away for 2 weeks it'll take me a month to build my mileage back up, i'd be lucky to complete 10 miles after a 2 week lay off.
However much i push that knee cycling around the peak and staff moors i never get a problem, if i run around the back garden playing football with the kids for ten minutes and the knee's f***ked.
The odd thing is that the turbo trainer has zero effect on the knee, i might as well not use the thing and i just can't figure that one out.

Good luck with cycling, I think it can do very well in the long run,
my first surgeon after first injury, just told me to hold off sport and wait with the surgery until later,
I wish he suggested cycling as a remedy earlier...