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