KNEE PROTECTION: CHECKLIST FOR THE KNEE
If you can answer "yes" to each of the questions, knee pain should not be a problem for you.
Seating position: Have the saddle, stack and reach been selected so that you can sit comfortably even on long journeys and don't have to bend or stretch your knees to an extreme degree?
Cleat adjustment: Have you taken structural physical problems (e.g. knock knees or bow legs) into account when adjusting the pedal plates?
Leg guide: Is your leg movement parallel to the frame when pedalling so that no rotational forces act on the knee?
Cold: Do you protect your knees in cooler temperatures with appropriate clothing? In winter, a long Cycling shorts absolutely necessary to keep the joint warm and functional!
Warm up: Do you stretch before training or a competition? Muscles, tendons and joints need a short warm-up programme to minimise the risk of injury.
Injuries: Are any previous illnesses and injuries fully cured when you get on your bike? Under no circumstances should you cycle with painkillers, but rather take a break for a few days or weeks.
Torso training: Do you train regularly without a bike? Integrate other muscle groups into your training programme. With a strong core, you will sit better on the bike and strengthen your knee.
Winter break: Are you preparing for the season in small steps? Especially after longer breaks, you should slowly increase the intensity and scope of your training (for example on the roller). Large jumps in exertion cause problems for the joints in particular.
Easy gears: Do you ride in low gears? If you ride with lower gears and a higher cadence (at least 80 revolutions per minute are recommended) than usual, you will protect your joints.
Recognise boundaries: Do you really get off your bike when you're in pain? Your body will thank you in the long term - even if you have to finish a competition for which you have been training for a long time. If you go to the doctor in good time if you have any complaints, you won't risk any long-term damage.
Drive consciously: Are you aware of all the stresses to which your body and your knee are exposed? Think about your everyday life: for example, working long hours in the office or travelling long distances by car also affect the performance of your joints.
KNEE PAIN AND ITS CAUSES
With the help of the table, which was compiled with the assistance of sports physician Dr Helge Riepenhof, you can see at a glance what the functional causes of your knee pain may be and how you can get them under control again.
Pain and diagnosis: Pain in the front of the knee
Inflammation of the patellar tendon / irritation of the quadriceps tendon
- Most common pain in cyclists
Possible reasons:
- Saddle too low, therefore too small knee angle in 12 o'clock position and thus pressure on patella (kneecap)
- Crank too long
Possible solutions:
- Adjust the saddle height and crank length so that the knee angle is around 20-25 degrees in the lowest pedalling position
Pain and diagnosis: Back knee pain
Hamstring pain
- common among fixie riders
Possible reasons:
- Saddle too high, resulting in hyperextension of the knee in the 6 o'clock position and thus
- muscular imbalances
Possible solutions:
- Adjust saddle height and crank length so that the knee angle is 20-25 degrees in the lowest pedalling position
- Training the rear thigh muscle
Pain and diagnosis: Internal knee pain
Cartilage irritation due to excessive pressure between the kneecap and knee joint
Possible reasons:
- Saddle too low
- Too much pedal clearance, so knees can wobble
- Pedal plates incorrectly positioned
Possible solutions:
- Select cleats with max. 4.5 degrees of freedom of movement
- Adjust the cleats so that the knee and pedal form a vertical line
Pain and diagnosis: External knee pain
Irritation of the tendon plate ("tractus iliotibialis")
- Common in riders with knock knees or bow legs
- common in women due to the larger angle between hip and knee
Possible reasons:
- Saddle too high, resulting in an uneven pedalling stroke and imbalance in the hip-foot joint axis
- Pedal plates incorrectly aligned, sole of foot therefore under too much tension
- Extreme bow/x-legs require individual adjustment of the pedal plates
- Women: pedal plate tends to be further inwards
Possible solutions:
- check that the cleats are not placed too far inwards to relieve the IT band on the outside of the knee
- Combat muscular imbalances through compensatory training -> avoid wobbly knees by riding on the roller and training your pedalling specifically
