Knee pain only when out of the saddle

Since 2001, over 90,000 cyclist's have joined Cycling Forums to discuss topics from general cycling to equipment, training, racing and travel or vacation destinations (especially in europe during the tour de france). We also feature an great deals in our online store, 100's of articles, classifieds and product reviews.

Over the past few weeks I’ve developed knee pain in the front of my left knee cap. The odd thing about the pain is that it only hurts when I’m out of the saddle. When I sit back down and after a few peddle strokes it will go away. I’ve taken a few days off the bike then went on a ride and thought my knee feels good. I’ll then get out of the saddle for a small climb and after five or six peddle strokes start to feel the pain coming back. I’ll sit and ride for a few miles then try again and again the pain will come back but this time after two or three. Each time I test my knee by getting out of the saddle the number of peddle strokes are reduced until I can not even take one. I have no pain when I stay in the saddle. Has anyone out there even had this problem? I live in South Carolina so I’m able to ride pretty much all winter and have made no adjustments to my bike.
Thank you

Over the past few weeks I’ve developed knee pain in the front of my left knee cap. The odd thing about the pain is that it only hurts when I’m out of the saddle. When I sit back down and after a few peddle strokes it will go away. I’ve taken a few days off the bike then went on a ride and thought my knee feels good. I’ll then get out of the saddle for a small climb and after five or six peddle strokes start to feel the pain coming back. I’ll sit and ride for a few miles then try again and again the pain will come back but this time after two or three. Each time I test my knee by getting out of the saddle the number of peddle strokes are reduced until I can not even take one. I have no pain when I stay in the saddle. Has anyone out there even had this problem? I live in South Carolina so I’m able to ride pretty much all winter and have made no adjustments to my bike.
Thank you
obviously go to a doctor...

but i had the exact same thing and had a few diagnosis... took me 3 frustrating months because it seems to go away but as soon as you get on the bike again it flares up.. especially if as you say, you stand a lot... but it turned out to be an inflamed IT band. it's a really fiborous muscle that runs from the front of your knee around the side of your leg and attaches to your hip. have you been running in old shoes and/or not stretching? that will agravate it (IT band needs to be nice an loose for running but cycling tends to tightens it.. and that's bad news)

it can be agrevated at the knee or at the hip... if at the knee then the agrevated/inflamed part scrapes against the side of your knee and there is a little bump that it slips over when your knee is at the angle when you are standing... so climbing steps should aggrevate it too

you need to use ibuprofen or asprin for the swelling.. not tylenol, tylenol does nothing for swelling... ice... and stretching and it will go away and after it goes away you need to continue to stretch to make sure it stays away.

here are some stretches..
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/itband.html (http://www.rice.edu/%7Ejenky/sports/itband.html)
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/itband_str.html (http://www.rice.edu/%7Ejenky/sports/itband_str.html)

go to the doctor.. but i had the exact same symtoms you mention.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll try it and you are right on.

Frank

Hi Frank, hows the knee going?

Hi,
I had a similar problem where my left knee would start hurting if i did any long or hard rides (including out-of-saddle up long hills etc). And the next few days there would be a dull ache.

After doing loads of research I found it was due to my legs being slightly unbalanced. My left foot arch is high so that when i push down on the pedal the foot goes flat and my knee bends inwards - this causes rubbing that result in pain!

To fix it i got an insert to go in my cycling shoe (though i do use it in all my shoes/trainers now). It cost about £20 from the chemists and basically supports my foot and helps my knee bend forwards when i put pressure on it.

Since using it the pain has never come back. Before using it i struggled up hills, cycling at speed and long distances. That was three months ago and i have just done 58 miles in a hilly area at an avg speed of 17mph.

Maybe this will work for you

Good luck

Good luck