Cycling is good for your knees
Cycling is one of the best and most gentle forms of knee training. When cycling, you strengthen the muscles around the knee joint without putting heavy weight on the knee and you don't subject your knees to shocks, as is the case with running. Here, our physiotherapists provide tips for cycling and gentle knee training.
Why train the knee?
The knee joint is one of the most complicated joints in the body. It is also one of the most stressed joints when we move around, requiring cooperation between the hip muscles, thigh muscles, lower leg muscles and the foot.
Exercising your knees and the muscles around the knee joint can help limit any pain you may have. It can also protect the knee from developing wear and tear injuries.
Cycling as a gentle knee workout
When talking about gentle knee training, you'll most often start with cycling. To get the best and most gentle workout for your knee, make sure your knee is just above your foot when you sit on the bike. In addition, your thighs and calves should move parallel to the bike frame when cycling.
To make your cycling training more effective and varied, you can use interval training. Start off slowly so you don't overdo it at the beginning and build up as your muscles get stronger.
Our physiotherapists recommend interval training based on this pattern:
- Start with three minutes of cycling at a steady pace
- Then run two minutes at a slightly faster pace and with more effort
- Finish with one minute of fast-paced cycling at full effort
Depending on your starting point, you can start by repeating this pattern twice = 12 minutes of interval training.
Knee exercises after cycling
When your knees are nice and warm after your bike ride, you can finish off with two great functional strength training exercises for your knees: lunges and squats.
Lunges:
- Take a big step forward with one leg. Keeping both hips straight ahead, put your weight on the front leg and bend your knees until the front leg obscures the view of the laces on your shoe. Extend the leg again. The weight and work is on the front leg, while the back leg helps with balance.
Repeat with the other leg in front.
Squats:
- Stand with your legs hip-width apart with your feet straight ahead. Bend your knees with your buttocks sticking backwards as if you were sitting on a chair - more straight down than forward. Bend your knees until they block the view of the laces on your shoes.
Do you experience knee pain when cycling?
If you still experience knee pain when cycling, we've listed a number of things that could be causing the problem:
- You're riding with incorrect foot and knee position. When you sit on your bike, your thighs and calves should move parallel to the bike frame to avoid putting undue stress on your knees. If you use clipless pedals, make sure they are adjusted so that your foot is in the correct position. Otherwise, you risk twisting your knee when cycling.
- You're riding in too heavy a gear. The harder you pedal, the greater the strain on your knee. Therefore, if you use a lot of force to pedal, your knees will be under extra strain. Try riding in a lower gear.
- You drive with cold knees. Warm knees can prevent a lot of knee problems as a warm knee is more flexible. Try using knee warmers when cycling.
