Knee Pain

I've been getting some real pain in my left knee in the last month or so, is there anything I can try adjusting on the bike to clear it up?

I'm hoping it's my saddle or pedals, and not some of the gooey stuff inside my leg parts...

Saddle backwards - an outside of the knee pain is often due to the seat being too far forwards. Happened to me, was in agony - Hippy suggested pushing seat back and it worked almost instantly!!

Can you be more specific: front, back, side, under kneecap, over kneecap, all the time, only whilst pedalling, only whilst pedalling hard/fast, etc, etc...

Jon - I'll give that a go. I always seem to feel more comfortable using the flat part of my bars, but my brake ain't there... Maybe I should change to risers.

BringMeMyFix - it's at the front of the knee, and only seems to hurt after a ride. It's a dull throb, not a sharp pain. Seems to hurt when I'm puling up in my clips, so I'm trying not to skid on that side.

If it's just under/behind the kneecap, it's probably a touch of patella(r)? tendonitis. It'll clear up soon if you keep your knees warm, avoid things like skids and sudden accelerations (especially from standing starts), and generally keep your cadence up around 90rpm - which might mean dropping your gear a bit. I've often got an extra tooth at the back in the winter. Not a wisdom tooth, mind.

Once it clears up, you can cautiously return to thrashing the shit out of it again :p

i gots some pain, right leg inside just above the knee, started a few days back i was doing lost of skidding, and such trying to improve my skidding distance, hurts just after i hop off the bike, or some times when i stretch the leg just after a ride.

also i fell with it clipped in trying to do a leg over, no bruise but maybe just sore?

Well, my problem came when I first got my Mercian, I built it up and thrashed it for a few days, after that i was in a lot of pain on the outside of my knee. It was all because of the way I had set it up. The change from a road conversion to a Track geometry and then skidding on that! I sat on the bike, clipped in and then put presseure on the knee with a loosned saddle - I then pushed back on the saddle whilst keeping the pressure on my pedal - the pain stopped when the seat was pushed back to the correct position. Never hurt since.

been riding fixed most days for about 9 months and I cannot get rid of a pain in my right knee (top front of knee cap)that starts after about 5 miles, doesn't hurt off the bike
I've tried: raising/lowering saddle, moving it backwards and forwards on the rails, different float on my time impact pedals, 2 pairs of shoes
last summer I did quite a few 35 miles rides without pain, now I usually do 8 or 16 miles most evenings and it hurts every ride
I'm 6'1" and ride an old 58cm reynolds 500 frame and I'm older than average I guess at 44
I did wonder whether go to a bike fitting place to see if spending 50 quid might sort the problem but I can't really afford that at the moment and have unsuccessfully been using trial and error

anyone had similar problems?

Get thee to a doctor/osteo/sports physio etc. There's not much medical advice that you should trust over an internet forum, and also seems as if you have tried the standard variables. Good luck.

What Hutch said but also, have a look at your saddle from the back.. you could have a bent saddle rail or a crooked seat clamp which is causing your saddle to tilt to one side - this is one (not very obvious) thing would cause the problem you describe. I know coz it happened to me and took ages to suss!

thanks

I did wonder if I had one leg longer than the other that might be the cause, not sure how I check my legs but I'll def check the saddle soon

@stormy - just get someone to hold a tape measure down each leg; maybe on the outside, from hip bone to ankle.

@hippy - that'll teach you to stop carrying all your food in one of your lateral jersey pockets.

saddle looked level from behind so I just got my wife to measure my legs and according to her my right leg is about 15mm shorter than the left

maybe I can put some packing under my right cleat and try that, worth a go I guess

BMMF: You should know I use all THREE pockets for food! :P
It was from a crash, when the GT was single speed. It only became apparent when I was touring on it and doing >100k a day.

I thought you order those fancy SIX pocket jerseys.

There must be something weird in my biomechanical department. It feels wrong unless I have my right cleat set well back, and my left cleat set well forward. I'm now under the impression that it's due to my left foot being at least half a size smaller, with a flatter arch, so it slips further forward in my shoe...? But, the difference in cleat position, is greater than the difference in length between my feet.

Of course there's a fucking long list of other possible contributing factors, but life's too short...

Bike fit is fucked. Today I wasn't getting along with the Toupe again for 68k until 2km from home when I slid forward a smidge and it felt fine. Fkn hell!

Mmmm, G-spot :)

This happened to me... I changed my gear ratio from 17/58 to 19/58 and it got better as it was working a bit less. I've now gone back to 58/17 and it's fine now

... fingers crossed

58x17???

no 17/58

I don't get it.. you have a 58T rear cog?

yes it is the size of a bin lid, I made it myself out of a stale pizza base.

I made a mistake, please substitute 58t for 68t,

...no I mean 48t

That's better.. for a moment I thought this was you..

I thought my 50x17 was on the big side but then I don't have to stop much and it's fairly flat

I've just cut up my kids punctured football and placed 4 bits of it under my cleat making about 6mm of packing, will try that tomorrow and if it feels good will get some longer cleat screws on Monday and add a couple more slices

http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm :

* Remove your socks and lie on your back on a firm surface. Straighten your spine as much as possible.
* Have a friend pick up both legs by the heels, shake them gently, stretch them forward and set them down with anklebones (malleoli)touching.
* Have your friend can see how your ankles match. If the bones are offset (AND you're experiencing leg or knee problems) it may be worth getting a more precise exam from an orthopedist or sports medicine practitioner.