# Back of the Knee Pain



## supradude (Nov 27, 2011)

Lately every time I mountain bike, the back of my right knee hurts afterwards and I have to limp around for a day. Not riding obviously helps it get better, but as soon as I am back riding, there it goes again hurting like the holy dickens.

I have had it happen to the left one, but it is rare and pretty much doesn't ever happen. I have raised my seat to fit me better -- no help, and I moved the clip on the shoe back further to extend my leg -- no help. Stretching doesn't help either. And let's face it, I will never stop riding, so I will continue to live with the pain otherwise. So before I have to waste a co-pay to the doctor to figure it out, I was hoping if anyone else would have any ideas to what I am doing wrong. Perhaps I'm just getting too old at 28 years of age...


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## dkbmxr18 (Dec 13, 2010)

Sounds like your seat may be a bit on the high side. I had the same issue on my road bike before I had a co-worker fit me. My seat ended up being a few centimeters too high.


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## happyriding (May 9, 2008)

> I have raised my seat to fit me better -- no help


Pain in the front of the knee--->raise the seat.
Pain in the back of the knee--->lower the seat.

So you've done exactly the wrong thing to help your knee.


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## electrik (Oct 22, 2009)

It can be referred pain from your back or even something with your groin. Are your legs are two different lengths by much? Are your calves sore also. What is the pain like? Do you get significant lower back pain?


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## supradude (Nov 27, 2011)

The raising and lowering of the seat would make sense, especially seeing as how the pain has lasted longer this time around, although I did stand in one place for an inordinate amount of time the next day. However, when I had my seat lower, and the pain still occurred, I wasn't able to get a full leg extension thus making it harder to get that pull on the back peddle, which was another reason I raised the seat.

I am not sure about one leg being longer than the other. I don't carry any back pain from biking or anything with the groin, and my calves are never sore. All this really seems to have started when I transitioned to clipless two months ago.


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## electrik (Oct 22, 2009)

supradude said:


> The raising and lowering of the seat would make sense, especially seeing as how the pain has lasted longer this time around, although I did stand in one place for an inordinate amount of time the next day. However, when I had my seat lower, and the pain still occurred, I wasn't able to get a full leg extension thus making it harder to get that pull on the back peddle, which was another reason I raised the seat.
> 
> I am not sure about one leg being longer than the other. I don't carry any back pain from biking or anything with the groin, and my calves are never sore. All this really seems to have started when I transitioned to clipless two months ago.


Ah, well that is important to mention... you may need to adjust the cleat angles or increase the float. For sure your saddle height should be different with clipless shoes on. Do you drop your heels on the downstroke?


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## happyriding (May 9, 2008)

Different pedals have different amounts of float. Some people find fixed positioning(no float) is the only way they can ride without knee pain. Unfortunately, you may have to try several different pedals with different amounts of float to find one that works for you.


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## techeez (Nov 23, 2010)

Hand the same issue, lowered my seat a centimeter and haven't had an issue since


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## supradude (Nov 27, 2011)

I am not sure if I drop my heels on the downstroke, but I plan riding Saturday (weather pending) and will take notice. I still have the pain as I type this. Haven't ridden since I started this forum, and it used to last only a day. I will try lowering the seat to compensate. I am using a different bike and I have different pedals on it, but I got the pain from the other bike as well.

So basically what I need to do is lower the seat and adjust the pedals until I find the perfect point (which could take some time) that garners no pain? What about possibly getting a cleat alignment through a dealer? Or would this be a waste of money?


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## electrik (Oct 22, 2009)

supradude said:


> I am not sure if I drop my heels on the downstroke, but I plan riding Saturday (weather pending) and will take notice. I still have the pain as I type this. Haven't ridden since I started this forum, and it used to last only a day. I will try lowering the seat to compensate. I am using a different bike and I have different pedals on it, but I got the pain from the other bike as well.
> 
> So basically what I need to do is lower the seat and adjust the pedals until I find the perfect point (which could take some time) that garners no pain? What about possibly getting a cleat alignment through a dealer? Or would this be a waste of money?


If it's a different bike you may need to make front to back adjustments also.

Adjust the cleat so your foot sits in the same position, relative to the spindle,, as your were placing your foot on the flats.

If you don't want to try and figure it out by doing the research, then yes.. going for a bike fitting at a recommended shop will help you, they will setup cleat angles and everything.


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## happyriding (May 9, 2008)

Cleat alignment is probably a waste of money because modern pedals have float. If you get your cleats even close to pointing in the right direction, then the float allows your cleat to move side to side and center itself without disengaging. However, some pedals do have tension in the float, and as your foot turns the tension rises until the pedal finally disengages. In other words, if you foot is a little crooked with your cleat setup, then you will have to push against tension to get your foot straight on the pedal.



> I still have the pain as I type this.


You injured your knee. Go back to your previous setup, and lower the seat by 1cm to protect the back of your knee. Yes, that means your leg won't extend as much, and you will be less efficient on climbs. Ice the back of your knee after every ride, and continue that regime until the pain goes away. If the pain gets worse, then you have to stop cycling. You shouldn't even think about trying your new setup again, until your knee feels 100%.

Good luck.


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## kzeiszler (Jul 2, 2011)

It may just be an over worked muscle get a massage with lots of focus on your Calf and right behind the knee its probably your plantaris muscle. I am a massage therapist and I work at a Chiropractic office and we see a lot of athletes mostly runners but some bikers that have complaints that sound just like yours a few good massages and it should go down significantly if not be gone all together.


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## supradude (Nov 27, 2011)

I'll hop on my hybrid (yawn) without clipping in and see how my feet angle themselves and try to make the adjustment on the cleats based off of that until I can get the proper "float". As far as the seat, should I lower it regardless, or only if the cleat positioning doesn't work? The pain does feel almost like it is overworked as kzeiseler mentioned. Since I still have pain in the back of the knee, I will probably skip out on my ride Saturday... but that is always easier said than done when going this long without getting my normal biking fix in.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

supradude said:


> Lately every time I mountain bike, the back of my right knee hurts afterwards and I have to limp around for a day. Not riding obviously helps it get better, but as soon as I am back riding, there it goes again hurting like the holy dickens.
> QUOTE]
> 
> Have you had any inury to the knee previously? Have you noticed any swelling or lump in the back of the knee?


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## Jim Holloman (Oct 3, 2011)

Go back to platforms for a few rides and see if the pain disappears. If so, they it is clear proof that something is not kosher with the clipless pedals. 

Check seat height and positioning (for or aft) under static conditions with ruler and angle guage. Then, have a very experienced rider observe your positioning, seat height, foot extension, knee alignment (seat may need to be shifted backwards a few millimeters when switching from platforms to clipless), etc. while you are riding to see if anything looks abnormal. 

Then, if no relief, try a pair of toe clips like Zefal on platform pedals with a metal cage (for attachment) for a few rides. If they work, then use them for a few weeks before switching back to clipless.


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