# Quad relief_Pedaling form



## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

*Cycling with Quad/Patellar Tendonitis*

In month two of trying to heal up some quad tendonits developed from a slate of long rides in Sept/Oct. Im coming along nicely, some soreness time to time, but defintiely improving. Now Im planning to resume riding after the Holidays and Im thinking of ways to prevent a reoccurance of this injury. 

Some questions....

Is there any correlation between pedaling technique and possibility of quad strains, especially vis a vis whether you employ a toe-down or heel down pedaling form? Im basically a toe down type of pedaler and Im *thinking* that might have helped this injury come on. I also had a good amount of patelar soreness all year during harder efforts (pulls, climbs, etc.). I did have a new bike this year and my saddle, if anything, was on the high side, which played into the toe down pedal form.

Are there any other techniques I should employ....fit, form or otherwise to keep this issue at bay so I can return to cycling? Change my style....get a new fitting....a brace...chop the bad leg off and retrofit my bikes with only one crank arm? Anything?

To be honest, Im scared as all hell this injury is going to come back and shut me down for the foreseeable future. Its not something you can ride with...it shuts you down completely.


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## hrumpole (Jun 17, 2008)

I'd do a couple of things. The first is get a pro fit done. 

The second is buy a foam roller and perhaps see a PT to find out if there are any structural or muscular imbalances that led to your injury. Ideally, find a PT who also knows how to do bike fittings, or a fitter that has a good relationship with a reputable PT.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Have you tried some yoga? It might help with keeping you nice and flexible.


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## pone (Sep 19, 2012)

hey RkFast!

you mentioned this in passing in the NY/NJ regional forum, but after a search i thought i'd revive this thread in hopes you might have a little more to say about it. i seem to have trashed my left quad tendon, mostly through over-exuberance on my first few rides after winter. but i now realize i've probably been straining the quad tendon for a long time and need to be doing a buttload more stretching than i have been.

i took two weeks off after it became clear i'd tweaked my knee and went out for an easy ride. my knee flared up again immediately so i'm going to be down for a while. i can do light spins on the trainer without feeling any problems, and i'm stretching. but i'm a little concerned about how to ease back into it. 

any insight from your own experience?


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## DCE (Jul 14, 2010)

Hey pone,

One thing that really helped me was doing eccentric exercises that work the quad.

I have a leg press machine and I use a rope to pull it up then with my leg straight, I slowly resist the weight until my leg goes to 90 degrees, then start over.

This video shows the exercise, except I don't lift the weights up with my legs, as this can be really hard on your knees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUKDBW6ag0w

Start with about 10 to 15 reps x 3. Keep adding more weight as you get stronger.

Works like magic for me.

If you don't have a leg press machine, cross over squats are good too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wL64CMwKhs


Other thinks to look at:

-are your knees tracking relatively straight? If not, you might want to get checked out for orthotics and wedges. Have someone ride behind you to look at your knees, or use a mirror in front of a trainer and watch how your knees track.

- moving cleats back can help (might also need to lower saddle).

- make sure saddle is not too far forward (or back) (Steve Hoogs is a good reference).

- make sure saddle is not too low, or too high (Steve Hoggs).

- Try speedplay pedals, they may help.

- practice the "scraping mud" at the bottom of your pedal stroke technique. This helps to engage your hamstrings.

- Get a rubber band and do glute and lateral leg exercises. Strong glutes help stabilize your legs when pedaling, especially when you are fatigued and your form starts to waiver.

- get Tom Danielson's Core Advantage book.

Good luck!


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## pone (Sep 19, 2012)

thanks DCE. i recently got Danielson's book but haven't read it yet. i use speedplay frogs and my knees stay very straight when i ride. but i had moved my seat _forward_ towards the end of last season and that certainly may have been a mistake. i've since moved it back again.

i don't have a leg press machine, but i'll try the other exercises.


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