Originally Posted by
matimeo
Not at all true in my case. Knee pain issues began because I have difficulty keeping my legs lined up so they track correctly. Getting clipless pedals to hold my feet exactly in place the entire ride has eliminated problems so severe that I couldn't ride for almost a year. I know that isn't the case for everyone, but it isn't true to generalize it for everyone.
I'm in the same boat - four years ago I developed knee problems from riding that made it almost impossible for me to ride. I suspect it had a lot to do with alignment issues as you describe.
Regardless, switching to clipless eliminated my knee problems and allowed me to get back on the bike.