Knee pain - any ideas

With the shorter daylight hours and colder weather, I have started spinning again during the week while still riding on weekends.

I have noticed a pain on the top of my knee cap and from there down, most focused just at the top of the shin bone. It is noticable as I exercise, but persists and feels worse later in the day.

Bicycle and spin bike are set up the same as they have been.

any ideas as to the source or what to do?

 

It says that...
If you have new knee pain that isn't severe or disabling, a good rule of thumb is to try treating it yourself first. This includes resting, icing and elevating the affected knee, and sometimes using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and inflammation. If you don't notice any improvement in three to seven days, see your doctor or a specialist in sports medicine or orthopedics.

Some types of knee pain require more immediate medical care. Call your doctor if you:

• Can't bear weight on your knee
• Have marked knee swelling
• See an obvious deformity in your leg or knee
• Have worrisome pain
• Have a fever, in addition to redness, pain and swelling in your knee, which may indicate an infection.

Knee Pain sign and symptoms,
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/knee-pain/DS00555/DSECTION=2

Causes of knee pain at, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/knee-pain/DS00555/DSECTION=3

 

That's good, but check your saddle height. Your leg should be able to be straight at 6:00 on the pedal stroke. Here's why: if you don't get enough stretch on your legs as the pedals turn you aren't producing enough power from your legs, i.e. quads/ calves. This then directs the power to your knee tendons. These are not really power muscles and they will swell from over exertion. As you bring the pedal over slowly, you will see your knees will be in the sweet spot of power if they are bent to much on the down stroke.

Another thing, check to make sure your saddle is tipped slightly forward of level. If your saddle is level or tilted back, this can pinch your hamstrings, especially on your strong intervals. Check these things out. I know my saddle and/ or post can move out of position and need to be checked from time to time.

Last thing: the trainer or spinning bikes are a different sort of workout. Don't use too much tension where you have to really jam the pedals to move the wheel. This is a kin to smashing the big gears out on the road and can hurt knees. Ice them and spin on low gears at higher cadence until they heal. It might be a few weeks, but you don't want permanant damage.

 

check:
http://www.performancebike.com/content/bicycling_fine_tune_fit.cfm

Also keep in mind that 6.o'clock pedal position is NOT perpendicular to the ground BUt parallel to the seat post. I had that problem and my knees got sore on climbs.

 

Also keep in mind that those seat height formulas do not take pedaling style into account. If you're a toes-down kind of rider, you'll end up with a saddle that's too low. If you drop your heel at the bottom of the stroke, you'll be too high. The .883(inseam) formula has been around forever, and is the one used by most fit systems (and Greg Lemond). Other riders (like Davis Phinney) recommend a .90 multiplier (Phinney was a toes-pointed-down pedaler).

The best way is to have a fitter measure the angle of your leg at the point of maximum extension. You want to shoot for roughly a 25-30 degree angle between the thigh and shin (barring any flexibility problems).

 

you got it right.

spin instructor noticed that i had begun to point my toes down. probably a consequence of the seat not being as adjustable as on the bike. (Bike is fullly adjustable, spin bike you need to pick from the holes on the post that are more than an inch apart)

I focused on dropping the heels and issue seems to be resolving itself

thanks all around