| Bike riding is a great way to have fun and stay fit, but | | | | seat height position for you. If your bicycle is equipped |
| it can also be the source of serious knee pain. | | | | with cleats, they too may need some adjustment. |
| Many cyclists complain of knee pain. It's a condition | | | | Cleats should not float too much internally, and should |
| known as IT band syndrome, a painful stretching of the | | | | not float externally. Ideally, the cleats will be neutral. |
| iliotibial tissue. In bicycle riders, this thick fibrous tissue | | | | Your bike shop can help to adjust your cleats using the |
| running from the hip to the knee gets stretched due to | | | | "fit kit" method. |
| the constant up and down motion of the legs. The | | | | In addition to IT band syndrome, chondromalacia is |
| stretched tissue then begins to rub against the bony | | | | another common cycling-related injury. This condition is |
| portions of the knees or hip, causing certain pain. | | | | caused by the constant pressure applied to the |
| While all cyclists are prone to IT band syndrome, the | | | | cartilage behind the patella. |
| condition normally affects beginners. Rookie cyclists | | | | If knee injury strikes, try alleviating your discomfort by |
| tend to ignore the proper care of their knees and feet, | | | | strengthening the quadriceps muscles along the front |
| and will ride for hours on end. Other factors such as | | | | of your thighs. This can be as simple as sitting in a |
| cleat alignment, poor sitting position, faulty saddle and | | | | chair and stretching your legs. Your doctor or |
| hard riding can also cause knee pain. Your own body | | | | physiotherapist will be able to suggest other |
| anatomy can also cause knee pain. Sometimes, riding | | | | strengthening exercises. Another way to alleviate the |
| more slowly is the only way to reduce this type of | | | | pain of cyclists' knee injury is to avoid sideways |
| pain. The body has more time to adapt to the physical | | | | movements while pedaling. |
| stresses when the cycling motion slows down. If you | | | | If you experience cyclists' knee pain, try applying ice |
| experience knee pain, try stretching before and after | | | | packs or resting your knee. It's important to cut down |
| cycling, and minimizing hard riding to reduce the effects | | | | on your riding time until the hip or knee pain subsides, or |
| of IT band syndrome. | | | | you may risk further damage. Avoid cycling at high |
| There are changes that you can make to your bicycle | | | | speeds or across bumpy surfaces while your knee is |
| to help reduce cyclists' knee pain. Try adjusting the | | | | on the mend. Mild stretching and icing before and after |
| seat higher or lower to take stress off of the knees. | | | | the ride can help keep the muscles loose, and it's |
| Whether your seat is too high or too low, you can | | | | important to keep legs warm during cold weather |
| experience cyclists' knee pain. If the seat is too high, | | | | riding. |
| you'll feel the pain behind the knee. On the other hand, | | | | Cyclists' knee pain can indicate more serious conditions. |
| a seat positioned too low can result in pain in the | | | | If your pain persists or becomes worse, see a doctor |
| patella. Visit your cycle shop for help in finding the best | | | | or visit a sports clinic for a complete analysis. |