matimeo

So let me explain:

Lots of problems in the last couple of years with my knees (mostly seemed to get worse the more I rode the bike). Finally saw a physical therapist who helped me learn some exercises that help my knees track straight and identified that tight hamstrings are a major problem. In the end, I think that what I've learned is that when I ride a lot, my leg muscles get somewhat imbalanced and/or my legs get stronger and change the overall physiology of my legs/knees. But for whatever reason, I don't really have any pain on the bike, in fact my knees feel great while riding. But it's the rest of the time when I'm off the bike, they start to feel sore. In fact, it almost seems the longer I'm off the bike, the more uncomfortable they are. Looks like I'll have to keep doing those exercises prescribed by the PT forever:

Usually you hear complaints about the knees that go the other way around (worse the more I'm on the bike). Has anything like this every happened to anyone else?

wphamilton

Cycling neglects to exercise one of the quads muscles. Worse yet, when I started cycling everywhere I stopped walking anywhere. I'm no expert on physical training, but I suspect that it can lead to knee pain. I started taking the stairs whenever possible, and at least walking sometimes, and for me that did the trick.

FBOATSB

Just had this conversation with my neurosurgeon last week and with my physical therapist a few hours ago. Solution? Don't overdue the biking just because it doesn't hurt as much. Do more walking, but keep it balanced with the right exercise as learned from physical therapy. And always give attention to core strength.

TransitBiker

I have started walking a lot more, by which i mean several miles, whenever the chance presents itself. Walking into town is a chore and there is no safe, direct way to do it, so i tend to get a ride if its an urgent trip. I walk fast enough to where if it takes 10 minutes to ride there, it takes 25 minutes to walk, and 10 minute bike usually means 5 minutes if i get a ride, so i think i have a pretty good pace going under my own power. The real trick, is to find a place you can walk in winter, because around here winter means the possibility of a foot of snow the entire mile plus route into or across town one way. Even the few MUP's they have can get icy with idiots walking on the snow and compacting it down vs walk off to one side where if you compact it down, it melts, helping the path melt faster.

In any case, this more walking = my knees have not really hurt in quite a while.

- Andy

spare_wheel

Apart from musculo-skeletal pain, people who cycle far more than they walk (and do not perform weight-bearing exercise) are at increased risk for osteopoenia and osteoporosis.

koolerb

My knees seem to bother me more when I cycle less. But yes, they also bother me sometimes when cycling. I don't do much else for exercise when the weather is good so to keep things even I do a 15-20 min stretching routine before every ride. I haven't been able to get a cool down worked into my schedule yet though. I know that's super important for recovery and I just don't do it.

jrickards

I try to walk the dog daily, generally either a 2km or 5km route.

Also, I've been going to the gym for weight training/strength development (just for fitness purposes) which includes squats, deadlifts and calf raises in the routines (plus upper body exercises too).

tds101 

I stretch and do light goblet squats holding either a dumbbell or a kettlebell. I try to cover the strength & flexibility issue BEFORE it really BECOMES an issue. I get the leg soreness when I overdo it, especially since my job is physical, with a lot of lifting and bending. Some days I just take a break when my body tells me to.

acidfast7

This happened to one of my colleagues as her started running more.

Logged about 60k miles on the bike in the last 20 years and after starting running a lot he tore a hamstring when starting a 10k race.

The PT/OT/GP all blamed it on excessive cycling and then hard running.

ItsJustMe

Cycling eliminates the muscular-skeletal pain that I get because I tend to pronate when walking. If I don't cycle for 3 or 4 days, my knees and hips start to hurt.