Knee injury help?

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 [email protected]

 

molly wrote:
> I strained my knee racing. I need a little input.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/pain.html

> 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 http://sheldonbrown.com/cranks

> 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. ;-)

> 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.

Sheldon "Knees" Brown +---------------------------------------------------------+
| Patriotism is your conviction that this country is | superior to all others because you were
| born in it. | -- George Bernard Shaw |
+---------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

> 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 http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"molly" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> 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 [email protected]

 

molly wrote:
> 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 [email protected]

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.