Techniques to Avoid Cycling Knee Pain
A common problem faced by cyclists is knee pain. Usually cyclists experience cycling knee pain due to irritation of the cartilage behind the kneecap. Repeated activities of the leg cause fatigue to the tendons or the bones damaging tissues around the knee joint.
Overuse injuries of the knee are commonly seen in riders who go on long distance cycling tours and they experience pain due to repeated stress placed on the knees. If increased stress is placed on the entire knee while cycling, there is a likelihood of deforming the cartilage between the bones in the knee. This may lead to cycling knee pain.
The synovial fluid in the knee has an important lubricating effect. The circulation of fluid is necessary to keep the cartilage cells in your knee joint healthy. Initial management of the cycling knee pain is by resting the knee with an ice compression etc. Medication also helps to control the inflammation around the knee, allowing the tissues to heal.
Adjustment of the bicycle seat for your comfort is very important for riders. Most bicycle mechanics will adjust the seat for the rider based on the rider’s height at a reasonable cost. Adjustment should be made also on the cleat in the bicycle as even a small movement on the cleat can cause major changes at the knee and hip level. You can narrow the cleat position by moving the cleat toward the outer parts of the foot.
It is better to consult a good massage therapist who deals with sports injuries to relieve cycling knee pain. You should not do any hard riding for the first few weeks after the therapy to avoid the recurrence of the pain.
You can follow an exercise program to strengthen the muscles in your upper leg. This will make certain that you are able to exert adequate power from the upper leg while cycling. This technique ensures that a minimal stress is placed on the knee joint while you are riding a bike. Take care to see that the knees move up and down when you pedal with no sideward motion.
While riding a bike, you have to pedal with low resistance to enable your body to adjust to road riding. This can be a good long term technique to avoid knee problems while riding a bicycle. Stretching exercises for the lower leg portion helps you to withstand the rigors of riding a bicycle and avoid instances of cycling knee pain.