"elyob" <
[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Not sure the twisting out of the pedals will help knee problems ...
That was my concern at first, then I realised that I generally have my own SPDs set so loose that
the rotational force required to release is minimal.
> why not try some toe clips first
She has those already and I think they make matters worse. She has a "patellofemoral" problem,
basically the knee cap is not in the groove in the base of the femur as it should be, it's to the
outside, sliding over non-lubricated bone. She is slightly knock-kneed and toe clips allow her to
point her feet inwards too easily. When I cycle behind her shouting "foot forward, knee straight
ahead!" then the pain goes (not because I shout, but because she puts her leg in the right
position
The idea is that it is easier to set a "minimum pointy in angle" on an SPD but still
have a few degrees of float compared to a toe clip. Plus she tends not to put her foot fully into
toe clips so she pedals from near the base of her toes rather then slightly further back so she's
putting more strain on her knee/feet/etc..
We've been taping the knee to move the patella over. This works well for walking but cycling
requires more flexibility than our current taping method allows.
... I sold some SPDs a while back
> that had SPD one side and pedal the other. Shimano Pedals - PD-M515 and SM-PD21.
> (
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2077265069)
I'd considered pedals like that, but I found out last night that my brother in law is buying a new
bike (my relatives seem to buy new bikes every couple of years, have they not heard of maintenance
;-) His old bike has SPDs so we'll try to use them for a few rides to see if they help matters.
We'll still need to buy some shoes, but SPD capable shoes make good cycling shoes even without the
cleats (a damn sight better than my wife's ubiquitous trainers!).
Thanks,
Graeme