Knee pain during long cycling sessions - Iliotibal Band?

[georgefreeman918]

I believe I have the above with regards to knee pain during lengthy cycle sessions. The pain occurs down the outside of the left hand side of my right knee.

As I cycle, the pain gets gradually worse and worse until I can not continue. For the rest of the day, it is painful to walk, but there are no visible signs of any swelling. Once slept and rested, the following day, it was like it was never there.

Does anyone else suffer from this? Can anyone recommend a decent knee brace / any precautions to take? Do tablets / gel work in terms of anti inflammatory?

Thanks in advance.

[Fozziebear]

I had it band issues once from distance running, plenty of foam roller and massage helped. Have you got the bike set up right for you? Seat height, shoes sitting right on pedals etc?

[DE1975]

I've had this as well. you could try the following:-

Lower your seat a touch
Set your cleats to a toe out position
Pedal spacers help, they widen your stance and help the toe out cleat positioning without your heals rubbing the crank.
Some inserts in your shoe which raise the outside of your foot a couple of mm.

I did much experimentation and it took me along time to eliminate the pain, but a combination of the above works for me.

[DE1975]

Actually, just re-read your post and it's a little confusing where your pain is.

You say its the outside of the left side of your right knee. Does this mean the inside of the right knee? Can you see the confusion? If so, thats not your ITB. The ITB will be on the outside of your knee (right side of your right knee)

Edited by DE1975 on Wednesday 3rd May 09:06

[TwistingMyMelon]

I get itb pain if I have my saddle a few mm too high, a few mm to low and I risk grinding my knee cap!

Try lowering your saddl a touch

If you sit on your saddle with your heel on the pedal, is your leg fully extended when the the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke ?

[georgefreeman918]

DE1975 said:

Actually, just re-read your post and it's a little confusing where your pain is.

You say its the outside of the left side of your right knee. Does this mean the inside of the right knee? Can you see the confusion? If so, thats not your ITB. The ITB will be on the outside of your knee (right side of your right knee)

Edited by DE1975 on Wednesday 3rd May 09:06

Apologies, it is the outside of the left hand side of my left knee! DOH!

[mjb1]

I get similar to this, but it's on the inside of the knee (I get it on both knees). On a long ride it gets worse and worse until I literally can't press down on the pedals because of it. It subsides a lot 24 hours after riding, but takes a good few days to go away completely.

I only get it from cycling (and never used to have any problems like this). I'm a bit overweight, but I can play squash hard and long without getting any knee pain, so it's definitely something to do with the pedalling action. I've tried raising my saddle, maybe I was going the wrong way, and should try lowering it instead?

[gareth h]

I started to have knee problems when I adjusfed my saddle to its rearmost position to try to give me more room, didn't twig for a few weeks, but when I adjusted it back to the mid position (which I assume is in the correct position in relation to the crank) the knee problems disappeared.

[1ians]

Another one here with problems with my knees due to cycling. I have tried many things to try and help like making multiple adjustments to my bike (even bought a new one that fit better) and have been though physio.

The things that made most difference were speedplay pedals, one legged squats every evening and using a foam roller.

Good luck.

[Four Litre]

I had exactly this problem. It used to come on after around 35 miles on my MTB, my knee would get stiffer and stiffer on the outside, extremely painful with no swelling and it would go the next day. I spent a fortune on shoes, cleats, pedals, alignments and physio,

Ended up taking a break and it came back on my first ride. After having more physio sessions and getting nowhere I found this stretch youutube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlYM3KWwrGY

Improved over days and within 2 weeks had gone! That waas round 4 years ago and I still do the stretch once a week.

Good luck... and save your money on new pedals, cleats etc.

[chonok]

I've had a persistant problem here as well (albiet from running), but i think the principals are the same.

Just plenty of stretching (Not just IT band) and foam rolling is the answer!