Knee Pain

Hog-Sniper · 12-23-2007, 2:13 PM

How do I get rid of the knee pain? I really don't want to sell my Bird, but I can't ride it for more than about 1 hour. After I stop and walk around, I'm OK. But when I get back on the bike, I am constantly taking my feet off the pegs to stretch my legs out in front of me. I have the footpeg lowering brackets on, VFR bars, and also tried the Ibuprofen, to no avail. Are there some type of knee exercises I can do for about 3 months (till riding season gets here), that will make the riding position comfortable, when my feet are on the pegs? I'm 46 years old and this is my first sportbike, after riding cruisers, and tourers for years. Help !

R1000 · 12-23-2007, 2:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hog-Sniper

How do I get rid of the knee pain? I really don't want to sell my Bird, but I can't ride it for more than about 1 hour. After I stop and walk around, I'm OK. But when I get back on the bike, I am constantly taking my feet off the pegs to stretch my legs out in front of me. I have the footpeg lowering brackets on, VFR bars, and also tried the Ibuprofen, to no avail. Are there some type of knee exercises I can do for about 3 months (till riding season gets here), that will make the riding position comfortable, when my feet are on the pegs? I'm 46 years old and this is my first sportbike, after riding cruisers, and tourers for years. Help !

I use to swim 1 hour once a week to stay fit, you may try this and see if it helps.

Michael03XX · 12-23-2007, 3:11 PM

My chiropractor swears by this exercise...

Stand in a doorway, with your back against the door jam. Point your toes outward and then do slow controlled squats. Very much like a ballet dancer. This exercise builds the muscle on the inside of the knee. That muscle is the most ignored muscle in the human body and tends to become weaker as we get older.

By doing this exercise I have successfully put off knee surgery for over 10 years. I also swim, but I have found that only the breast stroke (done correctly) will work the inner knee.

Hog-Sniper · 12-23-2007, 5:23 PM

I will try the doorway squats, I don't have access to a pool till May. Thanks for the input.

drmedak · 12-23-2007, 9:41 PM

Where is the pain in your knee? Front?, side?, under the kneecap?, on the bone where the patellar tendon attaches below the knee?

Hog-Sniper · 12-23-2007, 10:33 PM

If I remember correctly, it was on the backside of the knees. (where the bend is) I'm 5' 11", with a 32" inseam. I have never had any knee problems in my life.

Romus · 12-24-2007, 3:43 AM

I'm not sure if this will be the answer but I'll share my experience with you anyway. Back on my old bike I had problems with pain in my knees that once starts, breaks and stretching would only buy me few minutes of relief once back on the bike. I always blamed this on the bike being too small for me.
Then about 5 months ago I started exercising due to a reason unrelated to riding, that sort of evolved into an addiction - running most nights a week between 8 and 24kms a day. Anyway, the pain went away completely by now. The most I've done on the Bird so far is just under 18hrs in one day, with breaks of course, but now all pain I have at the end of it is sore wrists and bum.

Swimming, like someone suggested, would still be best way as it's easiest on the joints and exercises all muscles, but if you can't access the pool, might wanna try something else.

Hope this helps.

monsieurnet · 12-31-2007, 1:30 AM

maybe as per another thread the change in seating postion with the vfr bars and the lowering pegs is causing you some problems too.
your knees are taking the weight instead of your core muscles.
sort of like the difference between sitting on a bar stool and letting your feet dangle.

for excersizes my trainer suggests sit ups, squats and lunges.

before giving up the bird, give the stock setup a try, maybe with a nice big tank bag to lean on to take the weight off your wrists.

X1rider · 12-31-2007, 7:19 AM

Take two Aleve the night before you ride. No pain anywhere. Ask me how I know. Or the prescription med Indomethicin. Works for me!

dunedain · 12-31-2007, 12:11 PM

Yep at our age this is more and more an issue. I use Advil (ibuprofen) before and after a ride. I hydrate like crazy the night before and during the ride. I stretch real well before the ride and at each gas stop and still I have some discomfort at the 500-1000 mile range. Exercise is the real key. Extensions and curls as well as squats and calf raises make the muscles around your knee take more of the brunt.

My Dr. said I must have both knees replaced........I said fook that! I still have 10 years worht of enduro riding to do!!!!!! hehehehehehehehehe.

Good luck with it.

Helvet · 01-02-2008, 8:12 AM

Also I suggest you try another pair of pants? It might sound silly, but a lot of inner-knee problems are caused by the ripples of the pants on the backside of the knees.....

monsieurnet · 01-02-2008, 2:49 PM

some excersizes to try (my knee is rebuilt ) and suggestions.
1. make sure you are riding on the balls of your feet, not the arches or heel, I know this will make your leg bend more but will it reduce the pressure on your knees, making your entire leg and foot into a kind of spring.
2 wear proper riding boots, theymake a big difference.
3. walking on the treadmill (not running) on an inclince increase the incline gradually this will stretch out your hamstrings, calf muscles and work the muscles of your leg.
mnet