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-   -   Knee pain after riding? (https://www.bikeforums.net/training-nutrition/827746-knee-pain-after-riding.html)

frantik 06-24-12 10:45 PM

Knee pain after riding?
 
Two weeks ago while pedicabing, I experienced some acute knee pain. I was almost done for the night so I went home early rather that riding on it. I didn't notice any problems until the next time I rode, but now the last two times I've ridden, I'd had some mild to moderate pain in my knee that extends until the next day... even walking up the stairs can be painful the day or two after

the pain on the front part of the knee on the inner side.. feels almost like tendonitis or something. my knee in this area is tender, like a bruise. is this a common injury? any suggestions for treatment besides not riding? anything i should look out for?

hamster 06-25-12 12:32 AM

AFAIK, pain on the front part of the knee on the inner side (behind the kneecap) occurs when the crank is too long or the seat is too low.

frantik 06-25-12 12:56 AM

the pain is "in front" of the kneecap on the right side of the left leg. It sounds like it may be "Pes Anserine Tendinopathy"

hamster 06-25-12 01:21 AM

OK, I misunderstood.

Since this is a pedicab, presumably you don't use cleats? Asymmetric pain like that is usually blamed on cleats or, more generally, on alignment between the corresponding foot and the pedal.

frantik 06-25-12 01:30 AM

yep, no cleats or toe clips

slowandsteady 06-26-12 01:14 PM

Your seat is too low.

frantik 06-26-12 02:24 PM

ive been riding with the seat in that position for months w/o problems.. it felt more like i tore something or strained something

Carbonfiberboy 06-26-12 10:16 PM

Pes Anserine Tendinopathy is further down on the inside of the knee, not near the kneecap. I know, I've got it, though it's impossible to tell if it's tendinopathy or bursitis.

Most probably your saddle is too low. Yes, you've been doing this for a long time and you probably did overdo it a bit, which started this happening. Usually pain there is from the kneecap not tracking correctly. So raise your saddle 1/2 cm. Sitting on the saddle in your normal position, with your knee locked out straight, your shod heel should almost, but not quite touch the pedal at 6 o'clock. Then start a twice-a-day stretching program with particular attention to the hamstrings. Also start doing straight-legged high kicks a couple of times a day. Just kick as high as you can with your leg straight, several reps with one leg, then the other. If you can, don't pedicab for a few days. Instead ride a regular bike very easily, no more than 1/2 hour at a time. You can also take 600 mg ibuprofen twice a day. Should have it cleared up in a week.

frantik 06-26-12 10:50 PM

^ thanks.. i'm gonna take this weekend off and try those stretches/kicks. will try and see if raising the saddle helps too. some of it i think is just strain from over use.. the day i felt the acute pain was the first day i had ridden 2 days in a row in a while

bfloyd6969 06-27-12 07:05 PM


Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy (Post 14410343)
So raise your saddle 1/2 cm. Sitting on the saddle in your normal position, with your knee locked out straight, your shod heel should almost, but not quite touch the pedal at 6 o'clock.

Clarify a bit on this. I have both road and mtb shoes, both with spd cleats. When I do the heel to pedal theory with my mtb shoe to where it just barely touches, my road shoes heel is quite a bit more away from the pedal. Most mtb shoes have more sole than road shoes, yet still have the same cleat to pedal distance. This will change the saddle height.

Carbonfiberboy 06-27-12 08:40 PM


Originally Posted by bfloyd6969 (Post 14414294)
Clarify a bit on this. I have both road and mtb shoes, both with spd cleats. When I do the heel to pedal theory with my mtb shoe to where it just barely touches, my road shoes heel is quite a bit more away from the pedal. Most mtb shoes have more sole than road shoes, yet still have the same cleat to pedal distance. This will change the saddle height.

Yes, you're right. This measurement is an approximation just to be sure the rider is in the ballpark. With road shoes, normal is about 4mm gap under the heel. You might want a tad more than that, but also go by feel. You don't want your hips rocking and you want to feel like you could generate power. When I'm working on something like this, I'll keep the allen wrench in my jersey pocket and keep messing with it until it feels right or at least OK. Then when I get back home, I'll measure the result and write it down.

frantik 06-28-12 12:02 AM


Originally Posted by bfloyd6969 (Post 14414294)
Clarify a bit on this. I have both road and mtb shoes, both with spd cleats. When I do the heel to pedal theory with my mtb shoe to where it just barely touches, my road shoes heel is quite a bit more away from the pedal. Most mtb shoes have more sole than road shoes, yet still have the same cleat to pedal distance. This will change the saddle height.

I don't wear any special shoes while riding.. just sneakers..

humboldt'sroads 07-02-12 01:55 PM

Sounds like you've developed patellar tendonitis, aka "Jumper's Knee" and as many have said, it could be from riding with your seat too low. Really it's probably from riding a lot on platform pedals, where you're only able to generate power from your downstroke, but this problem could very well be compounded by an imperfect saddle position.

Right now, I'm going through horrible fits of patellar and quadriceps tendonitis in both knees after a winter of too much running and snowboarding, followed by overloading the front end of cycling season. From my experience, you'd better wait until your pain's completely gone then build up cautiosly. I'm now going on my fourth month of ups and downs and am cancelling plans for the olympic tri I was training for in mid-Sept.

For now, I'd recommend seeing a doc or PT if you have insurance, and maybe consider clipping in when you return to riding.

frantik 07-08-12 05:16 AM

lol doctors sorry i live in america and am not rich so i can't afford such luxuries. i did take a week off from riding though. Tonight after pedicabbing my knee doesn't hurt nearly as bad as two weeks ago so hopefully i just sprained/tore something and needed to heal. I took it easy though and tried to stay out of the big ring..

I definitely need to get toe clips for both the pedicab and my daily rider. I raised my seat on my personal bike but didn't have a wrench handy for the pedicab..


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