What can I do to avoid knee pain when cycling?

Cycling Knee Pain

Indoor and outdoor cycling are both excellent ways to stay physically active, and that may be one reason why both are so popular recently. 

In fact, it’s reported that about 33% of Americans rode some type of bike in 2020. However, this cycling boom has also led to more issues like knee pain. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid knee pain while cycling, and our physical therapists have some advice to help you prevent knee pain during this activity. 

Four tips that can help you avoid knee pain when cycling

A few of the steps you can take to avoid knee pain when cycling include: 

  1. Adjusting your bike properly — On both indoor and outdoor bikes, proper adjustments are vital to preventing pain and injuries. Some areas you may want to focus on include the seat, handlebars and pedals. Seats and pedals that aren’t adjusted properly can easily lead to pain in your knees or hips. 
  1. Hydrating during your ride — A fast pace will get your heart pumping and your sweat rolling. That’s why it’s important to stay hydrated while cycling, especially during longer workouts. Also, proper hydration helps keep your joints lubricated, which can help reduce your risks of joint pain. 
  1. Warming up — You might want to just jump on your bike and start riding, but doing so can lead to a higher risk of an injury. To help reduce this risk, you should go through a routine to get your muscles and joints warmed up for cycling. 
  1. Going to physical therapy — There are many ways physical therapists can help cyclists avoid knee pain. They can help you build effective warmup and cool-down routines for your cycling sessions. These specialists can also help identify preexisting issues that could leave you open to an injury. 

What can physical therapists do to help with issues that cause knee pain when cycling?

A physical therapist can do a full-body evaluation to look for underlying issues that could lead to knee problems while biking. Your therapist can also put together an individualized therapy plan for you, and this plan can help you address your issues using therapy methods like: 

Get help for your knee pain when cycling at Excel PT

Troubled by knee pain while you’re cycling? Our therapy specialists at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy are primed to help you treat your knee pain and learn how to avoid future pain. We offer free screenings that can pinpoint the underlying causes of your pain. 

Additionally, our physical therapists are adept at crafting physical therapy plans that are unique to each patient. Furthermore, you don’t even have to come to one of our clinics to get help from our team. All you have to do is sign up for an at-home care or virtual therapy session with one of our specialists. 

Contact our team today for more information about our knee pain treatment options or to schedule your initial appointment.