Though not a full-weight-bearing sport, cycling is, nevertheless, hard on the knees. When you consider that at an average cadence of 90 rpm a cyclist turns over the pedals 5,400 times in an hour, it’s easy to see why knee pain is one of the the most common complaint of cyclists.
During a century ride most of us will churn out over 15,000 pedal revolutions, whilst in the bike leg of an Ironman that number is likely to be somewhere between 23,000 and 35,000 revolutions.
In most cases, core treatment of cycling related knee injuries consists of two key components:
- Icing
- Taking anti-inflammatory medication (personally I’m not a fan of this)
Treating the pain, however, does little to address the underlying cause, and the cause can often be attributed to poor bike fit.
Correct saddle position is the key fit variable in bike fitting (both height and set-back) and the most important measurement to get right. If the saddle is too low, the knee is bent excessively at the top of the pedal stroke where power production begins, if it’s too high the rider has to reach too far at the bottom of the pedal stroke. The length of your legs and style of riding will determine whether the saddle needs to go forward or back – there’s a lot to consider and it’s hard to get right with the static measurements typically taken when procuring a new bike.
A Custom Bike Fit can correct poor posture, increase power, minimize the risk of injury and greatly improve rider comfort.
If you’re experiencing knee pain contact us today.