Just like everything else, the bicycle has to fit the rider’s anatomy. If we ride without adjusting the bicycle to our needs, it could result in knee pain, which is a common issue with riders.

The 4 most common causes of knee pains are due to improper saddle height or position, have a crank that is too long for the rider, rider pushing excessively high gears, or poor foot alignment.

Here are a few things you can try out before heading to the doctor’s.
If the pain is in the front of the knee (Anterior Pain):

Pushing too high gears          ->              Lower gear, and increase cadence

Saddle too low or far forward             ->              Raise seat or move seat back

Foot too far forward on the pedal              ->           Move foot back to have toes in line with the pedal

Crank arms too long         ->             Shorten crank arms by 2.5 cm
If the pain is in the back of the knee (Posterior Pain):

Saddle too high or far back          ->          Lower seat, or move seat forward

Too much pedal float             ->           Limit float to 6 – 8 degrees
If the pain is in the inner side of the knee (Medial Pain):

Incorrect foot position on pedal (toes pointed out)          ->             Narrow foot position by adjusting foot parallel to bicycle

Too little pedal float          ->              Limit float to 6 – 8 degrees

If the pain is in the outer side of the knee (Lateral Pain):

Incorrect foot position on pedal (toes pointed in)          ->              Widen foot position by adjusting foot parallel to bicycle
Too little pedal float           ->             Limit float to 6 – 8 degrees

Good habits to adopt to prevent injury – warm up for at least 30 mins, stretch after riding, and consider taking a Glucosamine supplement to promote joint flexibility.