mgmoore7

I have been having pain behind my right knee as shown in the picture. This pain started about 30-45 days after I purchased my road bike. A Felt F60. I am using Time RXE pedals.


After posting the following, most comments were that the seat was likely too high. I was fitted on the bike when it was purchased in Dec. I moved the seat down about 2 CM now in two increments. At 1st I thought it was better. My last 2 rides (10 miles and 20 miles, the pain was bad.) Before the 20 mile ride, I moved it down the 2nd CM. By mile 8, the pain was there and progressivily got worse. After the ride, the pain was worse than I have had yet. Now, on Monday, I am still at about 30% pain from what it was on Sat.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ight=pain+knee

I have been taking it real easy on the bike for about 6 weeks and only riding once or twice per week in hopes of letting it heal up.

Anyway, since changing the seat height has not helped, I am starting to think the issue relates to other parts of my position in some fashion.
Specifically, I have read a few things that seem to make sense.
1. Cleats: My pedals force my foot to stay centered. My natural gate to that my right foot points outward just a bit when I walk and run. My left stays straight.
2. Seat position: Could be too far back is one thing that I have read could be the issue. Not sure. I think my seat is as far forward as I can get it without buying another seat post.

Any ideas, thoughts. First things to try. Thanks.

ImprezaDrvr

Depends on exactly where the pain is, but mine was a hamstring strain that took 2 months off of the bike plus physical therapy to get rid of completely. And the requisite lowered saddle. Now, mine was much more focused at the spot where the hamstring tendon attaches to the top of the bone in my lower leg (i forget which is which), and the tendon itself has only had minor pain through its length.

If you're still riding, then you may not be resting it enough. The continued pain may not have anything at all to do with fit. It's the kind of injury that can plague you for years if you don't treat it properly when it first appears. Tendons don't get the kind of blood flow that muscles do so they can take much longer to heal after a strain. You may well need a few weeks completely off of the bike. Coming back too soon will just cause the problem to persevere and make your season suck.

Not saying that you were properly positioned when you first hurt it. But if it hasn't healed yet, you could lower your saddle all the way down and likely still have pain.

I just started my base miles over again a couple of weeks ago, and I'm getting there. But now the limiting factor is my fitness, not pain.

GernBlanston

Get thee to a sports-ologist. Methinks you have cycled yourself into a case of tendinitis. If it is tendinitis, Advil and extended rest are your only hope at this point.

Causes of knee pain vary greatly. I don't think your seat is too high, but it may be too far forward, based on the pain in your left knee. On the right side, it sounds to me like your shoe is not giving enough support. You didn't say if you have high arches, but I suspect on the right side, your arch is collapsing on the downstroke causing your knee to flex inwards and open like a hinge.

If it was me, I'd start with switching back to my old shoes and pedals.

Getting a fit on a new bike is a good idea, but my opinion on bike fit is if it ain't broke don't fix it. Assuming you have access to your old bike, take some measurements and see how it differs from the new bike. Have a friend hold it in place with the front wheel touching a wall and measure the distance to the cranks on both bikes and then from wall to seat. Even better, hold them side by side so you can see the differences.

GB

PipinFan

Umm when my knee hurts is usually by the patella and it is when is extremetly windy and I'm working against the wind,I don't know...,I take glucosamine and chondroitin.

mgmoore7

The old bike was a hybrid so comparison is not really possible and these are the only shoes/pedals I have had.

I have normal arches although I do wear a motion control running shoe due to over-pronation. I have been overweight and that is a reason for the motion control shoe. (I have lost 40lbs but am at 205 now with a goal of about 190, much below that is not likely)

The pain in the left knee had not been an issue for a while but the right knee continues.

Thanks

milnerpt

The two line you drew would correlate to completely different structures. the right knee I would say is more medial hamstring tendonitis, the left one could be a whole lot of other stranger things - irritated baker's cyst, old torn popliteus, deep calf strain, referred meniscal irritation.

I would put more money on some medial hamstring inflamation.... i would be willing to bet with your new bike, not only a goofy seat positon, but bumping up too many miles on a new ride. rest, stretch, painfree strengthening, if you HAVE to ride light spinning, high cadence, low resistance. Id recommend going to PT. Look for a PT with the following letters after their credenials - SCS, OCS, MCT, FAAOMPT. the following nice letters are more for show - DPT, CSCC

milnerpt

Oh, depending on you state, you may need a referral for treatment, but as fa as I know you can at least be evaluated without MD script.... varies widely by state... but most MDs are happy to be involved in the process as long as everyone acts friendly

dnm

I had similar issues in my right knee when I really started bumping up the mileage. I tried a number of things (seat, cleats, etc), but only one actually worked- dumping my 39 tooth chainring for a 36 and keeping my cadence higher when riding. I was able to stay on the bike at a lower mileage until it healed (no pain the next day) and then ramped up again.