Aching knees...

LostAndConfused
LostAndConfused Posts: 25
edited August 2007 in Health, fitness & training
I've always had slightly odd knees, but recently I have noticed an increase in the amount of aching there that I experience. It usually occurs at the start any cycle; especially when I pedal hard, but tends to get better further into the journey. I've been taking cod liver oil pills for quite a while now.

So does anyone have any suggestions as to how to prevent this from happening? Any stretches that I could do prior to cycles (I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to this sort of thing and therefore, perhaps stupidly, fail to do any)?

All help will be greatly appreciated. :D

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Do you use SPDs? Have you experimented with the angle of your foot?
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  • LostAndConfused
    LostAndConfused Posts: 25
    I use flats. My knee seems to hurt no matter where I position my feet.
  • Aux1
    Aux1 Posts: 865
    Well I had pain in the hands and a different riser angle and hand position I tried yseterday seems to have fixed that... And I don't have any pain in the knees...

    I'm a layman but I'd try and change the seat hight, seat tilt, slide it forward or back, experiment and try to find if one of the positions eliminates the pain. Maybe if you can run upstairs without pain, it might be a bike geometry issue.
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  • woody-som
    woody-som Posts: 1,001
    as you use flats, I would suggest the saddle is either to high or low. Sit on the saddle, and place your heel on the pedel in a fully extended leg, the leg should be straight, but not locked.

    If the saddle height is OK, then are you using too big a gear with a slow pedal revolution, you should be turning the pedals at least 80 RPM.
  • Bmjboy
    Bmjboy Posts: 680
    I had a similar problem, and posted on the WMTB forum and got some good answers.

    A slight saddle raise and using slightly looser gears solved the problem within a week!

    I found when I cycled alone, I rode much faster and harder and in a stiff gear thinking Id get better speed. This put strain on the knees and upper legs, Ive now learned to ride better and more efficiently and even bought some spds.
    "I don't do double-entendres, but I do like to slip a big one in occasionally"

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  • teacherman
    teacherman Posts: 454
    same problem mate but I've been concentrating on not riding 'knees out' but trying to keep them straight up and down. Rode for 3 hours today and riding like this and not trying to push big gears on the hills seems to have made all the difference - I ride flats too. Good luck. :lol:
    I hate it when people say David Beckham's stupid...its not like anyone ever says: 'Stephen Hawking - he's s**t at football.' Paul Calf
  • streako
    streako Posts: 2,937
    I sometimes get achy knees if it is cold. Now on long rides I wear 3/4 length bib shorts to cover my knee caps. Seems to work.
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  • Rykard
    Rykard Posts: 582
    I had this today, will look at getting some 3/4 tights or leg warmers. Ride in today was cold and wet...
    Cheers
    Rich

    A Vision of a Champion is someone who is bent over, drenched with sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is watching.
  • jjojjas
    jjojjas Posts: 346
    I get it if I power down in the high gears instead of spinning. As soon as I do it now drop the gears & spin more and it fades away.
    Jas
    it looks a bit steep to me.....
  • StefanH
    StefanH Posts: 228
    Sometimes it's just a case of overdoing it. My knees are killing me right now. I commute every day (have been for a while) but this week seems to have disagreed with my knees for some reason. I've used lower gears than normal to try and sort it out but I'm still suffering.

    Rest for a couple of days and then get back to it :)
  • overmars
    overmars Posts: 430
    Yes. You're pushing way too hard. Pick a lower gear.

    Also the position of your foot on the pedal is more of a science. If you stand up as you would normally... you'll probably find that your one or both of your feet are at a slight angle. This in the position that your foot should rest on the pedal.

    The best thing to do is get measured for your bike.

    You may also want to look at medical remedies like glucosamine which 'helps maintiain supple and flexible joints'.
  • Keiron Curtis
    Keiron Curtis Posts: 126
    LostAndConfused wrote:
    I use flats. My knee seems to hurt no matter where I position my feet.

    What do you mean by flats/spds?Now I'm totally confused.
    k.curtis
  • Keiron Curtis
    Keiron Curtis Posts: 126
    LostAndConfused wrote:
    I use flats. My knee seems to hurt no matter where I position my feet.

    What do you mean by flats/spds?Now I'm totally confused.
    k.curtis
  • Keiron Curtis
    Keiron Curtis Posts: 126
    LostAndConfused wrote:
    I use flats. My knee seems to hurt no matter where I position my feet.

    What do you mean by flats/spds?Now I'm totally confused.
    k.curtis

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