# Knees....good or bad?



## Sellyb (22 May 2012)

Does anyone know if cycling is considered good or bad for the knees, especially when considering sportives and that extra push?


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## musa (22 May 2012)

It's only a danger when you don't do things properly for example bending with your knees and not your back when doing heavy lifting. The bike setup is important here.


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## black'n'yellow (22 May 2012)

as above - assuming your bike it properly set up and your position is good, there's no reason why cycling should be particularly hard on your knees.


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## Scilly Suffolk (22 May 2012)

musa said:


> It's only a danger when you don't do things properly for example bending with your knees and not your back when doing heavy lifting...


What is that supposed to mean?

Bending your knees and not your back is the _correct_ way to lift; either way, what has that got to do with cycling?

Specifically, saddle position, cleat position, crank length and gearing all influence the strain that is put on your knees.

The knee is a joint and isn't, like a muscle, strengthened by exercise. The cartilage which cushions the knee joint degenerates with age and has little capacity to rebuild itself; even when it does it is more likely to be a lower quality variety: cycling (indeed, any repetitive and stressful activity) accelerates this degeneration.

With care (warming up adequately, building up duration and intensity gradually and limiting lateral movement of the knee when pedalling) there is no reason why you shouldn't continue cycling into your dotage, as many do, but "no" cycling is not good for the knees even if it is much less stressful than something like running.


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## fossyant (22 May 2012)

Cycling is fine, provided you take time and effort to set the bike up. Excellent long term (for life) exercise as it is low impact.


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## musa (22 May 2012)

Scilly Suffolk said:


> What is that supposed to mean?
> 
> Bending your knees and not your back is the _correct_ way to lift; either way, what has that got to do with cycling?


OT (apologies)


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## Moodyman (22 May 2012)

Cycling can be bad for the knees if you're a professional racer (especially sprint racer) - Chris Boardman is an example.

For the rest of us we're never going to strain the knees like they do.


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## black'n'yellow (22 May 2012)

Moodyman said:


> Cycling can be bad for the knees if you're a professional racer


 
why would it be different for a professional..??


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## green1 (22 May 2012)

Because they'll be doing it every day for years and wearing out the joints. Just like people who have an outdoor job are far more likely to have a hip or knee replacemant than someone with a desk job.


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## black'n'yellow (22 May 2012)

green1 said:


> Because they'll be doing it every day for years and wearing out the joints. Just like people who have an outdoor job are far more likely to have a hip or knee replacemant than someone with a desk job.


 
that's odd - because I don't know of any ex-pros with bad knees....


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## Moodyman (22 May 2012)

black'n'yellow said:


> why would it be different for a professional..??


 
Despite what people tell you cycling does put strain on the knee joint. We can minimise this strain by a good fit and high cadence. Most of us will never experience any problems if we follow this.

In the knee joint - between the thigh and shin bone - there is a soft tissue which acts like a lube and prevents the two bones grinding against each other.

As we age this tissue gets thinner and wears out. Cycling increases this wearing out process.

The reason why the pros suffer more than us - they ride harder, for longer and more frequently.

Chris Boardman suffers arthritis in the knees.


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## black'n'yellow (22 May 2012)

Moodyman said:


> Chris Boardman suffers arthritis in the knees.


 
so do countless numbers of squash players, tennis players, footballers, runners, rugby players and even golfers. It doesn't make cyclists any more prone to it than any other sport. In fact, the only research study I can find on the issue suggests that pro cyclists are more likely to suffer lower back problems, rather than knee problems...


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## Moodyman (22 May 2012)

black'n'yellow said:


> so do countless numbers of squash players, tennis players, footballers, runners, rugby players and even golfers. It doesn't make cyclists any more prone to it than any other sport...


 
I said cycling can be bad for the knees and explained why the pros suffer more than us. I never compared cycling to other sports and certainly never intended to make out that cyclists were more prone to knee pain.


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## jack the lad (1 Jun 2012)

I've got a torn cruciate ligament caused by a bike crash - so there is a big risk to the knees when cycling goes wrong! However, my knee doctor says its fine to carry on cycling as long as it doesn't hurt - but not to crash again or do anything that jars or twists it like running, tennis, football etc. So I guess, on balance and barring accidents, cycling must be better than most other sports, even if it does wear your knees out a bit. Fishing, snooker or darts might be even kinder on the knees, but I think the risk of knee damage from cycling is probably one worth taking for the other benefits.


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## MrJamie (1 Jun 2012)

Ive heard a lot of people who run (myself included), say they find cycling much harder on the knees. In my utterly non-expert opinion i think for me it was from trying to push too big a gear on hills while staying in the saddle where knees are most bent. Since ive tried to keep cadence higher in general and either attack hills out of the saddle or spin up them, my knees have been quietly getting on with it.


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