Originally Posted by paednoch
Somewhere on this board a person was complaining of Knee Pain. Everyone was very helpfull but i noticed that no one mentioned ITBS (ileo-tibial-band-syndrome) this very painful condtion is common in runners but cyclists too. Pain to the upper outer (lateral knee). I had this problem 2 years ago on a ride and mistakenly thought I could ride through it which was a very very dumb thing to do. I cost me an entire month of cycling. If anyone has this pain THAT REALLY shows up walking DOWN (not up) stairs then may I suggest a very helpful website. Just type Ilieo tibial band syndrome int he google search it is an awesome website dedicated to this condition alone. i NEVER ride now without doing the ITB stretch. It has totally cured my problem. And this problem nearly ended my cycling life.
http://www.itbs.info/
Try this link!!
Good message... Earlier this year I bought a new pair of shoes and promptly went on a mountainous 84-mile ride (about 7,000' of climbing)... When I realized I was hurting at the back of my knee (meaning I was sitting too high, as my new sole was thinner than the old shoe - it doesn't take much) it was too late. I limped around for a few days before I completely separated a muscle from the back of my knee (a small, uneccessary thing -- as my Dr. informed me, his cadaver didn't even have one... TMI!). I hobbled for two weeks, then got back onto my properly adjusted seat, and have been riding for two months with only a bit of discomfort.
The long and short of it is... Knee hurts in front: raise the saddle... Knee hurts in the back: lower the saddle. Before getting on the bike, make sure the saddle is adjusted within the proper vicinity of where it should be... Get a good riding guide - I've got one written by Lance & Chris, and another good one written by Greg LeMond. IMPORTANT - once you have adjusted via a legitimate formula, only change the height a couple mm at a time - up, or down... Your legs will need time to adjust. Also make sure your fore-and-aft saddle position is set properly, and I keep mine perfectly level (using a carpenter's level).
Finally, move around on your saddle - change positions... back to climb, forward to sprint. Stand on the sprinter hills and power over the top. Sit on the long climbs, but stand and stretch every once in a while. I like to stretch my calf muscles when coasting. Also... keep those legs turning, even while coasting down-hill... you'll have something to do on the long descents, and it will clear lactic acid from your muscles, preparing you for the next climb.
Fun, ain't it?