Knee Problems and Riding

Quoted message said:

My bad knee has arthritis and nothing seems to help. I
thought riding again might help, but wanted input from
some of the other riders out there.

I've had arthritis for over twenty years, and sometimes my
left knee is so painful that I can hardly come downstairs in
the morning for my ride to work. On those occasions, I take
the first kilometer *very* slowly, after which the pain is
gone, and I can proceed normally.

Movement is good for arthritis, but it needs to be low
in effort.

Tue, 06 Apr 2004 02:19:05 GMT,
<[email hidden]>, Michael D. Olson

Quoted message said:

I am hoping to start riding very soon, but have a question.
What are peoples experiences in riding for exercise with a
bad knee. My bad knee has arthritis and nothing seems to
help. I thought riding again might help, but wanted input
from some of the other riders out there.

Try riding a stationary bike so you've more control over
conditions. See how your knee reacts to pedalling. If
there's no major complaints, get a bike.
--
zk

"Michael D. Olson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am hoping to start riding very soon, but have a
question. What are peoples experiences in riding for
exercise with a bad knee. My bad knee has arthritis and
nothing seems to help. I thought riding again might help,
but wanted input from some of the other riders out there.

I have arthritis in both knees, and cycling seems to help.
They are certainly no worse, in my case. Medical opinion
seems to favor non-weight bearing exercise.

Here are some things that have worked for me (so far):

1. Make sure the bike is fit properly (i.e. get your knees
positioned for the least strain) and if you use clipless
pedals make sure they have float. Each foot may fit
differently on the pedals.

Using a trainer can help you make adjustments more easily
and fine tune your position.

2. Stretch properly before riding (quads, hamstrings,
calves, etc.)

3. Spin, spin, spin. 90+ RPM works well for me.

4. Take it easy the first few hundred miles. Ride mostly
flats until your legs get some seasoning.

Hope this helps. YMMV.

Horatio