knee/leg pain

[Niteynite1]

OK, here's my story and if it sounds familiar, it's because I'm posting this on
several recumbent boards:

I am riding an Easyracers EZ SC-1 (heavy). For the first 500 miles, my only
physical complaint was a little numbness around the tailbone, relieved by
stopping and walking around for just a couple of minutes every 10-12 miles.

The day after I passed 500 miles, I encountered a new problem. I was in the
first mile of a ride on Sunday, Oct. 5, when I felt a little muscle twinge in
my left leg, just below the groin. I rode on, figuring I would lose it as I
warmed up. Before I reached my 20-mile mark and the turnaround of my planned
40-miler, the discomfort had spread to the inside back of my left knee.
Whenever I got off and walked a few minutes (see dead butt problem above), I
felt no problem, only when I pedaled.

After finishing the 40-miler, I was a little sore in that leg for a day or two.
A combination of work schedule, weather and traveling meant I did not get back
on the bike until today, Thursday, Oct. 16. Within two miles, I was feeling the
dull pain behind my knee again. I rode 20 today and the pain never went away,
but it never got too bad, either.

Any ideas and/or suggestions? I should mention the bike is still stock. I have
not changed anything, including not yet taking the clipless pedals off my road
bike and putting them on the 'bent.Also, I'm 57, 5-9 and pretty overweight.

This may or may not have any relevance here, but I see comments about pedal
extenders and knee pain. Is this the kind of knee pain some have experienced
and alleviated with extenders? I know nothing about them and how they work, but
remembered that as I was riding today. Since I haven't put on the clipless
pedals, I am free to move my feet around the pedals and tried pedaling from the
outside edges of the pedals (i.e., as if I had extenders) and felt no
difference in the pain.

The pain is uncomfortable, but tolerable. It has not been sharp, and feels deep
within the leg. Since I was able to keep riding for 40 miles with it the first
time, it is obviously not incapacitating.

Any/all suggestions appreciated.


Thanks

[The Shinefelds]

Hey Niteynite - There are no simple answers to knee pain and most who
respond will have a different take on this. Typically, pain in front of
knee means your seat is too close. Pain behind knee might mean that your
seat is too far away. How long has it taken you to ride your first 500
miles? I'm asking because your groin pain sounds like an overuse injury and
I suspect you are also feeling it behind your knee because some of the big
leg muscles that extend the hip and knee attach in both areas. Recumbents
are deceiving - it is easy to push yourself to ride lots since the position
is so comfortable, especially when you are generally deconditioned.
Suggestions: 1) check distance to pedals and adjust so that your heel
reaches the pedal with your leg extended and your butt back in the seat. 2)
Is your groin pain worst with maximum hip flexion on your pedal return or
extension when your leg is straightest? Adjust your seat back to minimize
your pain range. Probably more upright will help given your low bottom
bracket bike. 3) Short rides, easy warm up, spin don't mash, ice to
whatever hurts when done to decrease swelling. Easy does it until pain
disappears, then gradually increase ride duration and intensity. 4) Avoid
radical changes in your pedal biomechanics (extenders or clipless) until
your pain resolves. Caveat - Your complaints could stem from pain
originating in your hip and radiating south. If tha is the case, you'll
need hands on evaluation and help. As with all well intentioned usenet
advice, your mileage will definitely vary so take all of this with a grain
of salt. But go easy. And hopefully someone else can comment on
stretching.
Jon Shinefeld
Philadelphia, PA

"Niteynite1" > wrote in message
...
> OK, here's my story and if it sounds familiar, it's because I'm posting
this on
> several recumbent boards:
>
> I am riding an Easyracers EZ SC-1 (heavy). For the first 500 miles, my
only
> physical complaint was a little numbness around the tailbone, relieved by
> stopping and walking around for just a couple of minutes every 10-12
miles.
>
> The day after I passed 500 miles, I encountered a new problem. I was in
the
> first mile of a ride on Sunday, Oct. 5, when I felt a little muscle twinge
in
> my left leg, just below the groin. I rode on, figuring I would lose it as
I
> warmed up. Before I reached my 20-mile mark and the turnaround of my
planned
> 40-miler, the discomfort had spread to the inside back of my left knee.
> Whenever I got off and walked a few minutes (see dead butt problem above),
I
> felt no problem, only when I pedaled.
>
> After finishing the 40-miler, I was a little sore in that leg for a day or
two.
> A combination of work schedule, weather and traveling meant I did not get
back
> on the bike until today, Thursday, Oct. 16. Within two miles, I was
feeling the
> dull pain behind my knee again. I rode 20 today and the pain never went
away,
> but it never got too bad, either.
>
> Any ideas and/or suggestions? I should mention the bike is still stock. I
have
> not changed anything, including not yet taking the clipless pedals off my
road
> bike and putting them on the 'bent.Also, I'm 57, 5-9 and pretty
overweight.
>
> This may or may not have any relevance here, but I see comments about
pedal
> extenders and knee pain. Is this the kind of knee pain some have
experienced
> and alleviated with extenders? I know nothing about them and how they
work, but
> remembered that as I was riding today. Since I haven't put on the clipless
> pedals, I am free to move my feet around the pedals and tried pedaling
from the
> outside edges of the pedals (i.e., as if I had extenders) and felt no
> difference in the pain.
>
> The pain is uncomfortable, but tolerable. It has not been sharp, and feels
deep
> within the leg. Since I was able to keep riding for 40 miles with it the
first
> time, it is obviously not incapacitating.
>
> Any/all suggestions appreciated.
>
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[GeoB]

> Suggestions: 1) check distance to pedals and adjust
> so that your heel reaches the pedal with your leg
> extended and your butt back in the seat.

I am just learning this stuff, and still consider myself a newbie (1
1/2 years bent). I'm 53 yo, well marbled, 5'9", ride an R40 SWB.

I wanted to very tentatively add to Jon Shinefeld's very useful
previous msg;
Consider his suggested adjustment of pedal distance a "starting
place". It will be harder to know if it works for you since you are
already experiencing pain, but I'd suggest ride it that way a while,
long enough to get comfortable with it. Do you now have a feeling
that it should be longer? Shorter? Do you find yourself sliding a
tiny bit forward in the seat while pedaling? Maybe you need a shorter
pedal distance. Only change it by a tiny bit each time, like 1/8", or
3/16", then give it a chance. Put a hundred or so miles on it, then
re-evaluate.