Cycle Touring | Health

Cycle Touring Health & Medical Issues

Cycle Touring Health | Knee Pain

Knee pain is the number one cycling injury. This
problem is particularly common in cycle tourists
for reasons you will see below.

There are several different types of knee pain but
the most common problem is a "overall" pain
behind the upper part of the knee cap. It is
especially evident when carrying loaded panniers
up a flight of stairs after a long ride.

Some possible causes:

Riding in too high a gear: This is the most
common cause of "touring knee" as the
weight of the panniers makes it difficult to
spin at over 75 revolutions per minute
(RPMs) up hill. Count your RPMs. You
might consider upping them to 75-85 to see
if it brings relief.

Saddle Height: When seated on your bike
with the pedal at the bottom most point you
should have about a 25 degree flex in your
knee. A saddle height either too high and
too low can cause pain.

Saddle Position: In addition to height the
saddle can be positioned forward and
backward. When seated with the pedal
halfway to the bottom you should be able to
drop a line from the tip of your knee through
the ball of your foot.

Foot/Pedal Position: For those using
traditional pedals it is best to have the ball of
your foot on the pedal. If the foot strays too
far forward on the pedal it can cause knee
problems.

Crank Arm Length: Sometimes shortening
the length of the crank arm helps to alleviate
knee pains. I know this is no help to those of
you are the road in the middle of a tour.

Leg Length Differences: Are your legs
different length? Have you set your seat
height to the shorter or longer leg? Splitting
the difference between the two leg lengths
may help.

Cleat Position: If you are using a fixed cleat
pedal, the cleat position may be wrong. Are
your toes turned in toward the cranks? Are
they turned outward? You may need to see
how your feet naturally fall and adjust your
cleats accordingly.

Cold Weather: Cover your knees. It really
helps to keep them spinning happily!

Bike Fit: As you probably know, we are
really cheap. A professional bike fit costs
quite a lot of money where we live. Of
course, the pros argue (rightly) that a well fit
bike will save you in grief and injury in the
long run. It is possible to do a good bike fit
in your garage with the help of a friend or
patient spouse. There are several good
online resources, google "bike fit".