Peg legged and knee pain

[Fugazi]

So here's an interesting problem... First some background information.

Now back in 2000 I was working away when some idiot decided to drive a forklift truck into my left leg, partially amputating it. Had several operations and some bone removed and was left with a reduced ankle movement with a slightly shorter and bendier tibia. Now up until now cycling hasn't bothered me, in fact I think it's help massively. I used to develop a bit of a limp or trip up/down stairs after a long day on my feet along with general aches and pains in my ankle, but that's all stopped now and I've never felt better.

So moving on and I've managed to set my bike up where I'm comfortable doing 100km rides easily with no aches and pains. However I did a fairly hilly 180km ride a couple of weeks ago and about two thirds of the way round I felt my left knee starting to ache just under the knee cap. By the time I got home my knee was now fairly sore and peddling a bit of a chore. Later that evening it felt stiff with a bit of swelling, the next day it was fine and I commuted into work a little more slowly, still sore but manageable. Last week I did another hilly 130km ride and my knee played up again. Now the first time I put it down to maybe pushing too high a gear up hill, but this time I was making a concious effort to spin away during the climbs.

Reading up on various forums the consensus seems to be that I need a combination of shims under the cleat, moving the cleat for the bad leg forward, rotating the seat towards the good leg or any combination of them... I don't really relish the challenge of trying to move things around incase it exacerbates things so I've looking around for local bike fittings and get the sense that most are geared towards the average cyclist (symmetrical body wise). I'm thinking I need somebody who is a little more specialised and was wondering what the PH collective has in terms of experience with getting a decent bike fitting was like and if anybody has had experienced anything similar or has any recommendations for fitters around the North West area.

[dontdobends]

How much shorter is the bad leg?
I had a similar accident in a Rta, broken tib fib and ankle, I lost 35mm in leg length, I use shims under a look plate.
My knee gives me a little gip on anything over 60miles, but its gone no worse over the last ten years,

[Fugazi]

Not as bad as yours, 35 mm sounds a lot! My leg difference is about 25mm when I measure it myself, it was measured properly during the physio but I've long since forgotten.

[Some Gump]

No experience of leg tauma, but plenty of knee pain history on bikes before i got the setup dialled in.
In my experience, sore knee under kneecap = move the sest back slightly.

Therefore, Dr. Gump* advises either move cleat back on sore leg shoe, or cleat forward on good leg shoe and seat back equal amount.

• not an actual doctor, but hopefully less ste than that mcqueef woman. I'm also guaranteed to never ask you to st anywhere, especially a kitchen sieve.

[Mr Ted]

Some Gump said:

No experience of leg tauma, but plenty of knee pain history on bikes before i got the setup dialled in.
In my experience, sore knee under kneecap = move the sest back slightly.

Therefore, Dr. Gump* advises either move cleat back on sore leg shoe, or cleat forward on good leg shoe and seat back equal amount.

• not an actual doctor, but hopefully less ste than that mcqueef woman. I'm also guaranteed to never ask you to st anywhere, especially a kitchen sieve.

I agree with the good doctor! I had knee pain after I started riding again after a long layoff whereas I didn't have knee trouble before! In my case I fixed it by doing my own bike fit following the video guide on Global Cycling Network, I needed to move the seat back using a plumbline to check that my knee was over the pedal axle with the pedals horizontal and I had the seat too low.

It is possible that your bad leg has naturally more or less toe out/in than the good leg, have you looked at how your feet point when hanging your legs down while sitting on a wall or table. You need to twist the cleats on the shoes to make sure that your feet toe out/in the same as when they are hanging if that makes sense! I initially set my cleats to the straight ahead position through ignorance and got sore knees!

It might also be the case that your bad leg needs a bit more freedom to twist so maybe a change of cleat? Does it feel like you foot is too restrained?

Hope this helps and do let us know how you get on, at my age I am forever fighting off niggling pains!!

PS don't forget to measure everything before you change anything so you can go back!

Edited by Mr Ted on Sunday 19th July 08:36