Pain back of the knee/harmstring...

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Lauris

Active Member
Hi


Over the last couple of weeks, I developed some pain at the back of my knee and hamstring to the point where I have to get off my bike and rest for 5mins or so. The pain usually kicks in after 10-15miles into the ride. Once I take the break I can go again for another 15 miles miles. Sometimes I can even go further without real pain although there is still a slight discomfort but its manageable.

Today I realised that I find myself sitting at the edge of the saddle a lot. So I purposely sat further back. Which may be eased the pain a little, but then without realising I ended up sitting at the edge again. So hard to tell from today's ride. But did not have any big pain to the point where I would have to stop.

The pain only occurs on one side of the leg(left). Back of the knee and hamstring.

I have not had this issue before up until recently.

I adjusted the saddle height, so it's the right height.
Before I even tried lowering but it did not help.

At this moment I am thinking that it could be my sitting position. ( which I will experiment in the next ride)

If anyone knows a solution to my problem please let me know.

Thanks in advance.
 
Injury resulting from a poor fitting bike may not be immediately apparent, but accumulate over time. Have you changed anything about your bike/fit recently? How long have you mantained your existing setup? Its probably worth having a go at following a good DIY bike fitting guide before resorting to a professional job, as I'm sure will be suggested in due course.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Are you new to cycling? Or that bike?
Maybe you need to adjust the saddle to bar distance, are you over stretched to the bars hence the sliding forwards? Move saddle forwards on rails? Does the post have layback? Need a shorter stem?

Also do you stretch your hamstrings, commonly tight in cyclists (and lots of non cyclists) (and all your other leg muscles?)
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
Sounds a lot like saddle too far back when you're sliding forward (also assuming the saddle is level) but height may also need tweaked (not at same time)
 

mudsticks

Obviously an Aubergine
Are you new to cycling? Or that bike?
Maybe you need to adjust the saddle to bar distance, are you over stretched to the bars hence the sliding forwards? Move saddle forwards on rails? Does the post have layback? Need a shorter stem?

Also do you stretch your hamstrings, commonly tight in cyclists (and lots of non cyclists) (and all your other leg muscles?)

Yup just about the tightest hamstrings I encounter are on regular cyclists.

Especially if that's their main form of activity.

There's something about the leg muscles working hard but rarely fully extended, combined with the closed forward at the hips postion, also which also tightens the front groins, compounding the issue.

It's not irreversible, a decent stretching programme can definitely help if adhered to.

NB. this may not even be the source of our OPs pain issue, but i thought it worth mentioning.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I don't buy this stuff about tight muscles and tendons. If you're fit you will have good muscle tone so naturally everything involved in the movement will feel taut and strong.

To the OP: are you pushing too heavy gears? I suffered a bout of soreness behind the knees which turned out to be mild bursitis caused by pushing too hard in heavy gears rather than spinning lightly in easy gears. The most obvious symptom was pudgy fluid behind the knees. It went away after a year.
 

mudsticks

Obviously an Aubergine
I don't buy this stuff about tight muscles and tendons. If you're fit you will have good muscle tone so naturally everything involved in the movement will feel taut and strong.

To the OP: are you pushing too heavy gears? I suffered a bout of soreness behind the knees which turned out to be mild bursitis caused by pushing too hard in heavy gears rather than spinning lightly in easy gears. The most obvious symptom was pudgy fluid behind the knees. It went away after a year.


Ah dear @Globalti .

Its peoples like you that keep me in business as a yoga teacher.

The rules of biomechanics don't apply to them.

Until the aches, pains, niggles, stiffness in certain places, over flexibility in other areas start to really kick in.

They come to me, and then I've usually got em hooked on feeling far more comfortable, and well functioning in their bodies for life :okay:
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I don't buy this stuff about tight muscles and tendons. If you're fit you will have good muscle tone so naturally everything involved in the movement will feel taut and strong.

To the OP: are you pushing too heavy gears? I suffered a bout of soreness behind the knees which turned out to be mild bursitis caused by pushing too hard in heavy gears rather than spinning lightly in easy gears. The most obvious symptom was pudgy fluid behind the knees. It went away after a year.
Count yourself lucky you've never suffered from biomechanical or anatomical issues :okay:
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
Yeah, muscle recruitment is 100% at all parts of the pedal stroke, nothing ever relaxes, gets overused leading to strains/tears or underused leading to shortening 🙄
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Ah dear @Globalti .

Its peoples like you that keep me in business as a yoga teacher.

The rules of biomechanics don't apply to them.

Until the aches, pains, niggles, stiffness in certain places, over flexibility in other areas start to really kick in.

They come to me, and then I've usually got em hooked on feeling far more comfortable, and well functioning in their bodies for life :okay:

One thing I do believe is that muscle reacts faster to stress than joints so it's common for people who are building strength fast to over-stress their joints, which need longer to catch up with the additional stresses.
 

mudsticks

Obviously an Aubergine
One thing I do believe is that muscle reacts faster to stress than joints so it's common for people who are building strength fast to over-stress their joints, which need longer to catch up with the additional stresses.

Well its not something you have to 'believe' it's a medical fact.

Our muscles are 'damaged' and then repair themselves during exercise.. That's how it works.

Our joints / ligaments / tendons don't have the same self repairing facility - or it's far slower.

A misalignment caused by over strong muscles on one side of a limb (say your quadriceps) with a non- complimentary weakness or stiffness on the other side (in this case hamstrings) will impact the joint far worse than the muscle itself.

And be slower to heal.

Short but strong muscles are a far greater risk to the tendons, and joints than long strong muscles.

This is one of many reasons to do good, knowledgeable stretching.
 
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