Knee injury help?

molly said:

I strained my knee racing. I need a little input.

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Quoted message said:

I am 5'9" (average build) and have been racing on 175 length cranks for the past year. I think I
should shorten my crank length.

Could be, 175 is pretty long for a person your size. I'm 6', with long legs/short torso, I'm
comfortable with 165 or 170. When I had a bike with 180s it made my knees hurt every time I rode it.

See also sheldonbrown.comcranksOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Now besides getting a professional bike fit or working with a coach and refining my position, is
shortening my crank length to 170 a logical option. Any coaches or opinionated bike guys have any
opinions about the effect of longer and shorter cranks on knees?

Sorry, no opinionated folks here. ;-)

Quoted message said:

The pain is on the top and front of my knee, just behind the knee cap. I do NOT grind big gears
though I do alot of hills. I spin lots, keeping my cadence at 104rpm most of the time. I am doing
knee abduction excersises and getting massage for it. Well?

Could indeed be the long cranks, but also check your stroke for sideways knee movement.

Too-long cranks are a known source of knee problems.

There are no known problems with short cranks.

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Quoted message said:

There are no known problems with short cranks.

How about President Bush then??

Molly,

whatever about crank length, knee problems are regularly caused by cleats.

I've always done this if I've got a knee problem and it works for me and everybody else
I've advised.

Get rid of cleats for a few weeks. Ride plain pedals. Stand when climbing. No big gears. When you
reinstal cleats, check what natural angle your foot has been enjoying on the pedal and that's what
you want,.

Make sure your cleats aren't positioned too far forward. I've found many cyclists whose knee
problems "miraculously" went away after moving the cleats rearward, including some who had paid
dearly, both in cash & pain, to have orthoscopic surgery done.

I do agree that 175mm is rather long for someone of your height, but don't think it's likely to be
the source of your problems. I find crank length to be more of a comfort issue for my muscles than
one that creates knee problems. Since you can change the cleat position for free, I'd start there
and worry about the crank length issue if the problem is still there.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

"molly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I strained my knee racing. I need a little input. I am 5'9" (average build) and have been racing
on 175 length cranks for the past year. I think I should shorten my crank length. Now besides
getting a professional bike fit or working with a coach and refining my position, is shortening my
crank length to 170 a logical option. Any coaches or opinionated bike guys have any opinions about
the effect of longer and shorter cranks on knees? The pain is on the top and front of my knee,
just behind the knee cap. I do NOT grind big gears though I do alot of hills. I spin lots, keeping
my cadence at 104rpm most of the time. I am doing knee abduction excersises and getting massage
for it. Well?

Molly velocyclery@yahooDOTcom

molly said:

I strained my knee racing. I need a little input. I am 5'9" (average build) and have been racing
on 175 length cranks for the past year. I think I should shorten my crank length. Now besides
getting a professional bike fit or working with a coach and refining my position, is shortening my
crank length to 170 a logical option. Any coaches or opinionated bike guys have any opinions about
the effect of longer and shorter cranks on knees? The pain is on the top and front of my knee,
just behind the knee cap. I do NOT grind big gears though I do alot of hills. I spin lots, keeping
my cadence at 104rpm most of the time. I am doing knee abduction excersises and getting massage
for it. Well?

Molly velocyclery@yahooDOTcom

Being a beginner I'm almost emabarrassed to ask you the most obvious question. You didn't happen to
lower your saddle too much in an attempt to spin smoother did you?

--
Perre

Remove and/or replace the DOTs as needed to reply

You may need to use supplements such as MSM, Glucosamine Sulfate, etc., increasing the production of
Senovial fluid that lubricates the cartilage in the joints.

Also increase your electrolytes thru B Complex and Potassium Gluconate and energy bars that contain
many supplements that feed you internally to build your tissues, cartilage.

More fluid intake might also help, using Water and Powerade, etc. Your body parts need attention, as
well as your bike parts.

If you injure your knee, bike easier until it heals.

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read the jane fonda sports injury book! excercise the knee cap location ligaments,tendons, muscles.
warm up the joint before stepping out onto the floor in the morning.try toe wiggling, ect. uses the
relaxed state and extra lubricity before compression for a healing advantage.