Cycling is a great workout, but is it bad for your knees? A new study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise suggests cycling is bad for your knees. The study discovered that cyclists were more likely than runners to suffer from knee pain and arthritis. However, the study also found that cycling is a good form of exercise for people with arthritis.
Whether you use road bikes, stationary bikes, mountain bikes, or recumbent bikes, cycling limits, cycling is not a high-impact exercise. One of the most frustrating problems you can experience as a cyclist is knee pain when riding.
If you experience knee pain when cycling, it’s usually a sign of something going wrong that can be fixed. The fix can be as simple as taking a rest, changing to an easier gear, or a bike adjustment.
4 Simple Ways Can Damage Your Knees While Cycling
Knees are the most crucial part of your body, and they should never be hurt. As someone who has hurt their knee, you know how painful it can be to walk around all day. Take care of your knees while riding a bicycle. This way, you won’t get very hurt and will keep cycling.
While cycling is an excellent way to relieve joint pressure and vary your routine, there are some things you may be doing that are potentially harmful to your knees.
Poor Positioning
Confident cyclists position their bodies excessively forward and bear down hard to believe that this reduces wind resistance and provides them with more power. This places the body and knees under strain. Additionally, it exerts pressure on your back.
Muscle Training Deficit
If all you do is a cycle, you’re likely to overdevelop specific muscles while leaving others underdeveloped. These overdeveloped, tight muscles can put an extreme amount of strain on your knees, particularly when pedaling hard.
Inadequately Fitting Equipment
The incorrect-sized bike can cause your knees to bend incorrectly, resulting in knee pain. Ill-fitting or improperly adjusted cleats can also cause knee strain.
Poor Preparation
Training too hard or riding for an extended period before you’re ready can result in unnecessary wear and tear on your knees and muscles.
3 Common Ways Cycling Can Be Good For Your Knees
Cycling has several health benefits for your joints and overall health, particularly for your knees.
Joint Pressure
Cycling, because you spend the majority of your time sitting, is an excellent way to relieve pressure on your feet and leg joints without having to give up exercise altogether.
Different Positions
While cycling, you can either sit upright or lean slightly over the handlebars. This helps you avoid sore muscles on long rides.
Controlled Movements
Cycling allows for slow, controlled movements that utilize several different leg muscles if you already have a knee injury. As you progress through each stroke, it works your knees from various angles.
Is Cycling In The Winter Bad For Your Knees?
Joint pain is quite common in cold weather, even more so if arthritis. This is true of the knees and other joints such as the fingers and elbows.
The perceived temperature is lower than the actual temperature when you ride due to the headwind you generate.
To avoid joint pain, you should protect them from the cold with the appropriate clothing: gloves, cycling pants, and elbow protectors.
A thin layer is required to keep the wind out when the air temperature drops. For me, this is 60 F (15 C), and below that, a thicker, warmer layer is required. Winter cyclist trousers are ideal for keeping you warm and protecting your knees from the elements while still allowing you to pedal freely.
There is nothing to fear if you keep the chill of the wind away from your knees and keep them warm in cold weather.
Are You Experiencing Painful Symptoms Of Cycling Knee Pain?
Cycling knee pain may be caused by several orthopedic issues, including patellofemoral malalignment, quadriceps muscle strain, tendonitis, and other causes. There are numerous treatment options for cycling knee pain, ranging from non-operative measures such as stretching and physical therapy to surgery.
Why Does Cycling Hurt My Knees?
The majority of cycling knee pain is caused by patellofemoral pain syndrome. This condition is frequently caused by excessive athletic use or high-impact knee use (among bikers, overuse is the more common culprit.) Patella (kneecap) misalignment can also cause or exacerbate problems.
Where Should Your Knees Be When Cycling?
The ideal height varies by individual and is determined by various factors. When performing a bike fit, we want the rider’s knee angle between 140-145 degrees at the bottom of the pedal stroke and greater than 68 degrees at the top.
Therefore, While most cyclists will experience knee pain at some point, and while this can be frightening, the cause can be identified and corrected most of the time. Cycling will not harm your knees if you take the necessary precautions to give your knee time to recover, ride at an optimal cadence, adjust your bike to fit you perfectly and keep your knees warm when riding in cold weather.
