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| Knee Problems while Biking? (Read 557 times) |
Runat29 |
posted: 8/16/2007 at 12:13 AM |
I decided to bike today since it is a cross-train day and i finally pumped up my bike 
During the bike though my knee was hurting and cramping. It was mostly on the hilly part of the ride. I have slight knee issues but they haven't bugged me on recent runs. Also, while walking up a hill with my bike my knee hurt terribly.
Is this just because I haven't biked in a while (a few months) or could I be doing something wrong while biking which is causing this?
-thought i might finally post to get some advice, been stalking posts since i joined-  |
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| view log i can has marathawn? |
posted: 8/16/2007 at 2:36 AM |
I just use bike sessions for easy cross training, on a bike path that is pretty much pancake flat. I do feel some tension behind my knees while cycling and after.
Running and biking use muscles and tendons differently, that point was driven home for me when Lance Armstrong first struggled with distance running. From an aerobic standpoint I don't think you can get more fit than Lance, but his body still had to adjust to running.
I would keep your rides really short for a while, and try to avoid steep hills for now. You can always hit the Alps and put on the yellow jersey when you've built up a solid base. |
Ed
Bib #10 at the Tuesday night Good Times 5K series in Lowell, MA
2008 goal: HTFU and BQ at BayState Marathon
Beer is proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy. |
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| view log |
posted: 8/16/2007 at 1:31 PM |
| You might be in too high a gear up hills and putting too much stress on your patella tendon. Gear down and keep your cadence high. |
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posted: 8/16/2007 at 1:52 PM |
| Quote from mikeymike on 8/16/2007 at 1:31 PM: You might be in too high a gear up hills and putting too much stress on your patella tendon. Gear down and keep your cadence high.
What Mike said, plus check your seat height. If it's too low, that can put a lot of stress on your knees as well.
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Runat29 |
posted: 8/16/2007 at 5:44 PM |
Thanks for all the advice. It's a bit hard for me to avoid hills seeing as I live in a very hilly area  I'll see if I need to raise my seat higher, I usually go into low gears for hills, but probably not enough. |
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| view log Stinky Fiend |
posted: 8/16/2007 at 6:15 PM |
Those last 2 guys were right on. The number 1 and number 2 causes of knee problems on the bike. People have an initial tendency on a bike to keep their saddles too low and muscle a big gear. Both of those things (especially on hills) will kill your knees in a hurry.
Have someone experienced measure your saddle height. Also, keep the cadence at an absolute minimum of 85 RPM. It really should stay between 90 and 110. 110 will feel like you're spinning your legs off, but you get used to it. A very basic computer with a cadence function will assist you in this greatly, at less than 1/2 the cost of a pair of running shoes. |
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