Wobbling knee = problems?

[dbk123]

Hi,

I noticed when I am seated climbing a hill that one of my knees doesn't track straight up and down. It moves inward toward the frame at the top of the stroke. I am having some soreness in that knee during rides. Can anyone recommend some stretching or exercises that might help address this?

I have had a careful frame fitting and cleat alignment.

Thanks!

dbk123

[Peter P.]

The knee naturally rotates toward the top tube at the top of the stroke. If you've already had your cleats aligned, did that include varus and valgus?

Varus and valgus are a natural tilting of the foot towards the outside (varus) or inside (valgus). By correcting for either using either LeMond LeWedges or Specialized's Body Geometry Shoes or soon to be released insoles/shims, you can correct this, prompting to knee to track more in a straight line and perhaps eliminating your knee problems.

I use the LeWedges. It's a subtle change, until you get beyond two wedges. I think they definitely are worth experimenting with.

[regularguy412]

I rode and raced for 6 years -- wearing out saddle noses on the right-hand side. When I was fitted for my Serotta on a Fit Cycle, I discovered that my right leg was about 8 mm shorter than my left. Somehow, the shortness of the right leg caused it to come over toward the top tube more than left. I shimmed the right cleat (3.5 mm) and have solved both my saddle sore problem and wearing out saddles on the right side.

Mike in AR

[goonster]

If you have soreness, there may be a problem that needs to be corrected.

However . . .

One thing I've learned in six years of riding brevets is that a wobbly stroke is apparently no reason to despair. I've spent hours and hours watching some rider's horrendously wobbly stroke (one leg, both legs, no matter) and forty hours later they climb off fit as a fiddle. Personally, I do strive for a very smooth stroke and cadence, but I no longer assume that somebody's lurching legs are a Really Bad Thing. Just saying . . .

edit: Most of the stroke irregularities I see are outward from the plane, i.e. away from the frame. A slight inward motion at the top of the stroke seems normal to me.

[Louis]

dbk,

Correlation does not imply causation.

I've noticed that in the same conditions as you described (seated climbing) both of my wobble a bit but my right does it noticeably more than my left. However, I have way more problems with my left knee than my right knee.

Unfortunately, there are about a jillion different things that can cause knee problems...

Louis

[boissy]

another angle to look... is your femur rotating in the hip socket and your pelvis square on the saddle

[yeehawfactor]

I rode and raced for 6 years -- wearing out saddle noses on the right-hand side. When I was fitted for my Serotta on a Fit Cycle, I discovered that my right leg was about 8 mm shorter than my left. Somehow, the shortness of the right leg caused it to come over toward the top tube more than left. I shimmed the right cleat (3.5 mm) and have solved both my saddle sore problem and wearing out saddles on the right side.

Mike in AR
weird
i always get saddle sores on the right side in the same area, and had some knee issues a while ago

i wonder if this is a problem for me too

[ada@prorider.or]

Hi,
I have had a careful frame fitting and cleat alignment.

Thanks!

dbk123

did you check your bike too
that is measure your crank in uppest posotion with the pedal on it measure the center point of the pedal do this on left and right side

if it too far of it can cause knee problems

even pro's have this becuase nobody looks at it
and if the pedal make's a circle that is not 90 degrees with the ground it can trigger problems

i had this once with steve bauer who complaints with sore knees
it his crank where not fitted right
its a commen problem once you see it and notice it
and its easy to solve

cees

[Yukonjack]

When I went in for my fitting the tech noted that my left knee went outside the verticle line. The problem was solved by placing one of the Specialized shims in my left shoe. Since it was only one shim it did not effect the shoe fit. As far as stretching goes there are some basic yoga poses that you might want to try. Most any introductory yoga book will have descriptions or you can go to yogajournal.com and enter lower leg poses to get a complete description. They seem to work for me. Good luck.

[fierte_poser]

Hmmm....

Some of these posts seem to assert the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality to the issue of knee wobbling. I'm not sure that I agree with that sentiment. Here's why: you might be able to ride all day long with a knee wobble at age X, but I would worry that...left untreated...this knee wobble might lead to irreversable problems at age X+n. That is, you could wake up some day and find that you've done some very bad things to your knee or hip or something else that might cut your cycling career short. And all without pain in the here and now.

Thoughts?

[Louis]

Thoughts?

Other than anecdotal evidence, does anyone out there know if "knee wobble" truly causes problems, or is a sympton of something else that causes problems?

Or is it just something that happens?

Louis