Knee Trouble

[tabasco]

Can anyone advise what the most common cause of knee pain could be and how to rectify the problem. I know it has to do with setup but I need to start narrowing it down to something more specific.

 

how critical is saddle height and cleat position, I have bee set up properly however can a slight adjustment in these areas make that much of a difference? ie a mm or two, not major adjustments

 

I am an avid Mountain Biker and spend 4 - 5 hrs Sat and Sunday riding, I train during the week on a road bike 1,5 - 2 hrs a day. I do not suffer knee pain on the road bike, only on the MTB and I know that the set up is slightly different for both due to the purpose of the bike.

 

any advice would be welcomed.

[Moab]

Where in gauteng are you? I can refer you to a brilliant physio at Sandton Clinic who is also a  mountain biker and who understands setup etc. Oh, and he is a brilliant physio!! Sounds like it could be ITB - a common setup problem

[Canaris]

saddle height, check for seat post slippage.  Crank length, what gears are you pushing on the Mtb?  Banging knees against rocks also cause pain.  Do you rest? Finally consider over training.

 

[AndreZA]

Road and MTB cranks have different qfactors. That means the pedals have different distances between them. So if you are fine on a road bike and not on the MTB then obviously you like the narrower stance. Try and have a look at that. But that is just a start. And if you are like me, it's got nothing to do with bike setup but more about lower back that is out of wack and needs straightening every now and then.

[Face Plant]

can you elaborate more as to where the pain is? pain in different areas can mean different things

[Aquatic]

Seat height,cleat positioning,are u a pronator?or Itb issues,get qualified help,it depends where the pain is,Bushmaster2009-09-02 00:57:10

[tabasco]

Seat height' date='cleat positioning,are u a pronator?or Itb issues,get qualified help,it depends where the pain is,[/quote']

 

The pain is under the patella on the left knee off center to the left of the knee cap.

[tabasco]

saddle height' date=' check for seat post slippage.  Crank length, what gears are you pushing on the Mtb?  Banging knees against rocks also cause pain.  Do you rest? Finally consider over training.

 

[/quote']

 

I ensure enough rest, I tend to prefer pushing big gears but I don't think its the big gears as the road bike does not cause pain

[wynandvdmerwe]

struggling with my knees as well. No physio, acupuncture, stretches, setup changes has helped and surgery is not a option for me. old rugby injuries will always bite you in the ass!

[wannabearacer]

tabasco do you have pain at all with prolonged sitting, climbing stairs, driving???

[tabasco]

tabasco do you have pain at all with prolonged sitting' date=' climbing stairs, driving???[/quote']

 

Only on the MTB after about an hr or so. with prolonged saddle time. If I get out the saddle it eases up. Never had knee trouble in the past.

[Iven]

Google "chondromalacia" and see if the symptoms are what you are experiencing and see the recommended treatment for it.

[Dawiemalan]

Stretch your hamstrings, quads and your ITB. Straighten your leg until the patella feels loose and push the patella gently to the left and right so it stretches the ligaments. Do not operate or spike cortisone no matter what they say. It sounds like you made small saddle or cleat adjustments. Try to go back to the original settings before the knee pain, but do it in small increments.

[Matchstix]

do you spin more on the road than the MTB? Do you grind your gears?

[tabasco]

do you spin more on the road than the MTB? Do you grind your gears?

 

I tend to ride bigger gears but I ride smooth and mantain my rythym at all times. I deffinately do not grind gears. I just can't seem to figure it out, I know it must be something small. can a mm make a huge difference?

[Dawiemalan]

Tabasco, 1 mm can make a difference. I would also suggest you start taking two teaspoons of glutamine a day to increase the sinovial fluid in your joints.