# Knee pain after long ride



## djtodd

I do pretty much weekly rides in the ~90km range, and this past Sunday I decided to up my game a bit. While I've done 115km+ before, this was the first that had some major hills (to my mind) and was generally uphill all the way.

Cyclemeter route map:
Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110807-0732.kml - Google Maps

Thing is, at about the 20km mark I started experiencing discomfort on the back side of my left knee. By the end I was pretty tired and the pain was there behind my right knee as well.

It's still there to a lesser degree, and I'm not overly concerned, I'm just curious as to what the cause might be, and how best to avoid it, or get rid of it now.

TIA!


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## JTrider

djtodd said:


> I do pretty much weekly rides in the ~90km range, and this past Sunday I decided to up my game a bit. While I've done 115km+ before, this was the first that had some major hills (to my mind) and was generally uphill all the way.
> 
> Cyclemeter route map:
> Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110807-0732.kml - Google Maps
> 
> Thing is, at about the 20km mark I started experiencing discomfort on the back side of my left knee. By the end I was pretty tired and the pain was there behind my right knee as well.
> 
> It's still there to a lesser degree, and I'm not overly concerned, I'm just curious as to what the cause might be, and how best to avoid it, or get rid of it now.
> 
> TIA!


I was having the same issue on 30mile + rides. I switched riding techniques from a low cadence high gear/high torque method to a high cadence/low gear/low torque method and after a few rides my knees have felt much better and my speeds are getting back up to what they were in the high torque method.


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## Gnarly 928

Your saddle position? Might be too low slightly or too rearward. I recently had some similar knee pain following a saddle/seat post swap and I found a little fine tuning of my saddle fixed it, pretty much...that and remembering to sometimes slide forward a bit to alter the angle of stress.

1/8--3/16" extra height is what it took in my case...I think I may have come forward about a 1/16" too.


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## badbcky

djtodd said:


> I do pretty much weekly rides in the ~90km range, and this past Sunday I decided to up my game a bit. While I've done 115km+ before, this was the first that had some major hills (to my mind) and was generally uphill all the way.
> 
> Cyclemeter route map:
> Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110807-0732.kml - Google Maps
> 
> Thing is, at about the 20km mark I started experiencing discomfort on the back side of my left knee. By the end I was pretty tired and the pain was there behind my right knee as well.
> 
> It's still there to a lesser degree, and I'm not overly concerned, I'm just curious as to what the cause might be, and how best to avoid it, or get rid of it now.
> 
> TIA!


I was having knee problems and this is what the internet told me:

Knee pain towards the front of your knee generally indicates that your seat is too low.
Knee pain towards the back of your knee generally indicates that your seat is too high. (Sounds like your case).

The test for seat height that I was given is this:
1. Sit on your bike, balancing so that the bike is vertical.
2. Rotate the pedal to 6'o'clock position.
3. Place your HEEL on the pedal.
4. Lock and unlock your knee.
5. Repeat on the other side.

If your hips have to shift in order to allow you to lock and unlock your knee, your seat is low. If your leg is so extended that you can't perform this exercise at all, it's too high.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!
Reb


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## Straz85

Messing with your seat position is okay to a certain degree, if figuring it out yourself doesn't work, I'd start with a proper fitting (I know it helped a friend of mine with his knee pain immensely), if the pain persists, I'd see a doctor. I feel as though far too many people rely on the internet nowadays for their medical issues instead of going to a doctor. The thing is, multiple issues could have similar symptoms, a doctor should know the proper tests to do in order to figure out exactly what the issue is.


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## djtodd

Thanks guys, I've been meaning to take it in for a re-fitting, as I think the place I had it done last year didn't do a terribly good job. 

FWIW, if I felt for a second that I had hurt myself as opposed to just strained something I would head to the doctor. I've already fractured a couple of knuckles (since healed) due to a bike crash, I don't need to add a gimpy leg to the mix!

I was just surprised that adding the climbing would add that much strain to my knees.


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## Gnarly 928

Straz85 said:


> Messing with your seat position is okay to a certain degree, if figuring it out yourself doesn't work, I'd start with a proper fitting (I know it helped a friend of mine with his knee pain immensely), if the pain persists, I'd see a doctor. I feel as though far too many people rely on the internet nowadays for their medical issues instead of going to a doctor. The thing is, multiple issues could have similar symptoms, a doctor should know the proper tests to do in order to figure out exactly what the issue is.


 Many of us can't afford going to doctors (in the USA) any more, but that is a good thought. 

Riding high miles or climbing a lot, that does stress your body and trying to 'ride through' pain that re-occurs can cause damage or turn you off to cycling. Often a very small change in bike fit can eliminate a problem before it becomes too serious. 2-3 hrs with a quality bike fitter is probably the same cost as 5mins with a doctor.


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## bradXism

badbcky said:


> I was having knee problems and this is what the internet told me:
> 
> Knee pain towards the front of your knee generally indicates that your seat is too low.
> Knee pain towards the back of your knee generally indicates that your seat is too high. (Sounds like your case).
> Reb


 Position forward and back could also be contributing. The seat might even be right but the reach to the bars is making you shift forward or back..another one of those situations where we can't watch you to tell you exactly.

Your LBS should be able to help you get it right. Seat position preferences vary some, but making sure you are even close is a good starting point.

The cadence advise too..the change to a higher cadence can't hurt.


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## Speedmenace

Gnarly 928 said:


> Your saddle position? Might be too low slightly or too rearward. I recently had some similar knee pain following a saddle/seat post swap and I found a little fine tuning of my saddle fixed it, pretty much...that and remembering to sometimes slide forward a bit to alter the angle of stress.
> 
> 1/8--3/16" extra height is what it took in my case...I think I may have come forward about a 1/16" too.


This + 1


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## miguel_angel

I damaged my right knee the first time I went on a bike ride with my father. 16 years old, 70 km, too much trying to impress my father. I overdid it and never did any recovery excercises. 

and yes, of course, I'M A LEO.


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