Bike Woes: Preventing Cycling Knee Pain

Cycling can be the perfect way to explore your city while staying in top shape. However, improving your health with this form of cardiovascular training can often make way to debilitating knee pain. While knee pain associated with cycling can sometimes occur due to overuse, it mostly happens as a result of poor bike adjustments or odd-angle pedaling. At Total Pain Care, we want what’s best for your health. The first step towards avoiding knee pain is following our list of ways to prevent it.

Adjust Your Seat

Knee pain often happens when the bicycle’s seat isn’t adjusted. There should be a slight bend of your legs at the low end of the pedal cycle. When the pedal is parallel to the ground, your knee should be directly over the ball of your foot. Test your positioning and move your seat around while a friend holds your bicycle in place.

Knee Positioning

Pointing your knees in our out for an extended period of time will put you on the fast track to knee aches. Your knees should be pointing directly forward at all times during your ride. This means that your feet, legs and knees should be properly positioned. Ask a friend to watch you ride towards him to ensure that your positioning is correct.

Know Your Gears

If you’re riding in the wrong gear or at the wrong tempo, your knees will likely get overworked. Higher gears can make you feel like you’re getting more of a well-rounded workout but could also be wreaking havoc on the muscles around your knees. To avoid this, your rides should steadily climb to higher gears. If you’re pedaling with a slower tempo, push harder with your knees to retain your speed. Remember, using a faster tempo can decrease the level of stress on your knees.

Listen to Your Body

If you suffer from knee pain as a result of bike riding, listen to your body. Give your knees the rest they deserve and, if things don’t improve, know that Total Pain Care of New Jersey is here to help. Our board-certified pain management specialists will evaluate your injury from all angles. This allows us the chance to create a custom-made treatment that prioritizes your needs. Take the first step towards a pain-free life by contacting our offices today.

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  1. Ronald Amaya, PA-C is a Physician Assistant. He attended Weill Cornell Medical College and received his physician assistant degree in NYC. He has 18 years of experience in cardiothoracic surgery and over 8 years in pain management. Dr. Amaya is NCCPA board-certified in medicine and surgery.

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  2. Paulette Scott, MD is a pain management specialist. Dr. Scott is also the pain management representative at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Boston. She fulfilled her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and completed her fellowship in pain management at Harvard Square Clinic. Dr. Scott is board-certified in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and pain management.

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  3. Andrew D. Bunn, MD is a pain management specialist. Dr. Bunn also serves as the co-director of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, as well as the Program Director for Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and Newborn Services | MassGeneral Hospital for Children. After earning his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine, he completed his anesthesia residency at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where he also completed his fellowship in pain management. He is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management.

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  4. David D. Ford, MD is the Director of Pain Management. Dr. Ford earned a medical degree and completed his residencies in both surgery and anesthesiology. He joined the staff of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Watertown in 1990. He is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management. Dr. Ford specializes in painful disorders of the spine and sports-related injuries. He has initiated the use of advanced interventional techniques for the successful treatment of these and other conditions.

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