Cycling with bad knees?

Extreme-LoopZ

I'm starting college next week and I was thinking of cycling there to try and get fitter. The thing is my kness are in pretty bad shape, I stopped jogging a couple of months ago because they would always be sore when I got home. I'm desperate to get fit again and cycling to college seems like the best option. I would assume cycling has low impact on your knees but is this correct? Because I don't want to do any major damage...
Thanks!

ps was unsure whether to put this here or in the cycling forum..

crotalus667

As far as I know it is an exclent way of building up bad knees as long as you dont over do it

tunney

Bad knees? Define "bad knees"


What sex, weight and height are you?

rubadub

Lower stress than running anyways, stick to lower gears for less stress on them, also think low gears/high revs gives you more of a cardio workout

Reyman

Stay away from hills and use only low gears. Make sure the seat is set at the right level i.e. Your leg is fully stretched when seated on the saddle and foot resting on the pedal.
Note: If your leg never fully stretches when you pedal then your leg muscles will get stronger in a limited range of motion and this can be damaging for the knees

ali.c

have a chat with somone in a bike shop about adjusting your bike to you, if your saddle is too high (for you) it can put additional pressure on the knees. though cycling as an activity is lower impact than running.

If you dont know whats wrong with your knees, go and have a chat with a physio about it, afterall you only get one pair of legs so its best to take care of them.

rubadub

Reyman wrote:

Make sure the seat is set at the right level i.e. Your leg is fully stretched when seated on the saddle and foot resting on the pedal.
Note: If your leg never fully stretches when you pedal then your leg muscles will get stronger in a limited range of motion and this can be damaging for the knees

On most sites and even in bike manuals I now see a slight bend in the leg recommended. Thats what I prefer, think a thread in the cycling forum was recommending it too. Only very slight mind, the last bike I made said you should be full stretched with no shoes on, so when you have shoes on you get a very slight bend.

Also wearing cycling shoes with clip in pedals is supposed to put your foot in the optimal position so it will not damage the knees.

Reyman

rubadub wrote:

On most sites and even in bike manuals I now see a slight bend in the leg recommended. Thats what I prefer, think a thread in the cycling forum was recommending it too. Only very slight mind, the last bike I made said you should be full stretched with no shoes on, so when you have shoes on you get a very slight bend.

Also wearing cycling shoes with clip in pedals is supposed to put your foot in the optimal position so it will not damage the knees.

That could be right - locking your leg dead straight might not be a good idea.

The reason you need to get a pretty full stretch in your leg is because one of the muscles supporting the knee is only used in the last 10-15 degrees of the straightening action. This is the Vastus medialis (on the inside of the knee). This is an important supporting muscle and you don't want your Quadriceps getting strong while this muscle remains weak.

Gumbyman

Hey. Can't answer your question on cycling but just on the running - what running shoes were you wearing? I was using Nike for about 6 months and my knees got knackered (pain, stiff) as well as my hip. I went to champion sports and the dude laughed when I told him what I was using and he sold me a pair of asics gel (cheaper than the replacement Nikes I was eyeing up) and I have had no problem since then. They are the job.

workaccount

My mums just back from professor barry bresnihan (rheumatologist). He is meant to be one of the top doctors in Ireland. He told her to stop cycling as it is very bad for the knees.

He is the doctor Stephen Roache went to I think and he had to stop cycling completely because of his knees.