Is cycling bad for your knee joints?
 

Is it?

Nope, nowhere nearly as bad as running. Problems with knees stem from improper fit and gear-selection.

Cycling is a low-impact sport, so it shouldn't be bad on the knee joints.

However, as Danno mentioned, joint problems can occur if your bike doesn't fit you properly.

I have read somewhere that trying to churn a gear around at a low cadence then this can in some instances cause the knee problems as there is alot more stress.

So if you are experiencing any knee problems try a higher cadence rate in a different gear.

But generally I concur with the others.

No.

And I have had two major knee surgeries. Cycling is what you do to rehab your knee after they operate on it.

As mentioned above pushing hard gears can cause problems and you are prone to overuse injuries. If you have to choose between running and cycling, then cycling is better, but swimming even provides less stress to the knee joint.

I myself have knee problems that stem from overuse and it's something that I deal with on a daily basis, so cycling can cause problems.

No shouldnt be, but you have to check your fit, seat height, shoe position etc. or there can be trouble.

I got a Jumper's knee/patellar tendonitis condition in my knee after riding a too small, badly fit hybrid up and down a mountain a lot last year.

Now with my new and way better road bike, I don't notice any knee discomfort.

speed play. stretch. proper fit, stretch and not too many miles too quickly. Much better like 10X's than running.

I've broken my right knee twice. Both times the Orthopod told me that indoor cycling was a great way to rehabilitate. I asked (jokingly) if outdoor cycling would work too. He seemed to think it would. It's a lot more fun than going nowhere.

Az

Provided that your fit is correct, no it is not.
Even with incorrect fit I have very few complaints compared to when I run or jog.

This explains all the 60-80 year olds I encounter riding bikes. Don't ever see them running for some odd reason.

I develop a problem in my right knee when I ride my fixed gear too much. I think the problem is what others have alluded to above: too high a gear for starts and stops. When I get more geared riding in with lower gears/higher cadence, the problem goes away.

I had two surgeries too for a broken left knee (tibial plateau fracture). Both times the PT couldn't get me on the bike fast enough. Took less than 10 days the second time, though it was 6 months before they let me ride on the road. I also use Speedplays which seem to help better than centering float cleats.

No . . . . cycling makes your knees stronger.

. . . . and your guads, but we won't go there. :rolleyes:

Do you have preexisting knee issues?

OH well, I can't add to that.

I can. Make sure you use Loc-tite with those Speedplay cleat screws and tighten them regularly anyway, or you'll get a nasty surprise sometime.

But you can't do better than Speedplays for knee rehab.

I thought cycling is quite dangerous, with probably of crashing and or death.

My right knee says ...YES...

My left knee says...NO...

It's been therapy for my knees. So I would say, No.

poor cleat adjustment could be bad for knees.

:) Not that kind of impact! While I'm sure colliding with a vehicle at 35 km/h would decently high-impact, when talking about low/high impact sports, usually it is in regards to one's skeletal system, ie: the impact on joints, etc. Running is higher-impact as the up-down motion with each stride places more stress on the joints, whereas swimming, as you're floating around in the water, places relatively little stress on your joints (and actually is the lowest impact sport of all, despite burning some decent calories).

If your cadence is approximately 100 rpm and you take 3 one hour rides each week, that means you are spinning your knees approximately 936,000 revolutions per year. I question whether this can be good for your knees. Personally I ride much much more, but I'm wondering how my knees will be feeling when I hit 60 or 70 yrs of age.

I'm 57 now. Been riding all my life (with exceptions for H.S & college) and my knees are fine. I guess I average about 150 miles a week these days between commuting 3-4 days a week and riding on Saturday and Sunday.

Cycling actually helps my knee problems.