Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Fit issues continue...

I'm frustrated right now.  Last week, I posted that I was having knee pain caused by cycling.  I also mentioned that I was getting a fit adjustment.

Anyways, I had the fit adjustment.  He lowered my seat a bit and changed the angle of my left cleat.  I was ready to give it a good solid test at Tuesday evening spin class.

Almost right away, I could tell it felt wrong.  I felt like my toe was being pushed inwards and I was only pedaling on the outside of my foot (as opposed to across the ball).  I kept going and before long, I started getting knee pain, only on the outside of my knee rather then the inside.  I didn't even make it through the class. I felt ridiculous walking out halfway through, but I needed to stop while the pain was still in the warning phase rather then injury phase.

It's actually worse then before.

I just want to get this fixed.  I realize none of it is the end of the world, but I need to get the bike time in.  I declared that 2012 was going to be the year of the bike for me.  I'm in the second week of my half iron training plan, but my saddle time seems to be going down rather then up.  Arg.

Marcelo (fit guy) mentioned that I may need to consider a different pedal that has free float (mine has a little bit of float, but it's "friction float")  Cha-ching!  Sometimes it seems like the costs just don't end.  On the other hand, my bike cost a lot more then a pair of pedals would.  If the pedals mean I can actually use the bike, it would be a good thing, right?

On the plus side, I can still run and swim.  Anyone want to to pretend they're me and do the bike leg in my races?


Edited to add: I am not unhappy with Marcelo (the fitter) at all.  He isn't charging me for the adjustments, and is working with me to get this figured out.  Also, his explanation on the potential pedal switch was more detailed then I am giving here.  He just explains it better then I do.

9 comments:

  1. Uggg. I'm feeling your pain. I'm also having some knee pain on the bike - which then moves to knee pain on the run. Grrr.

    I hope you figure it out ASAP!

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  2. Hopefully your fit guy will step up and for no additional cost help you find the adjustments needed. I don't think he should be saying you "may" need to consider a different pedal. He ought to know, and be able to explain why.

    In addition to actual bike fit tweaks, you might need an orthotic in your bike shoe. Remember the old song "the hip bone is connected to the thigh bone..." Although the pain is in your knee, it is entirely possible that something in your back or elsewhere is messing you up. There's lots of times I've told my massage therapist where it hurt or what was tight. She's said, "uhuh", and went poking around and found other connected areas that didn't hurt until she started working on them, and that was the root cause of what I had noticed.

    For a while I was having knee issues and found that warm up was critical for me. I needed to work on range of motion before the bike, and to take my time getting up to rpm.

    Good luck with getting on top of it. I struggled with the bike the entire year before IMC. There are days it was no fun at all. Hang in there.

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  3. I second the shoe insert...

    And the last thing I want to do is dispense additional advice in an already huge sea of advice (especially since I can't actually see anything), but I would point out that just like with running, good cycling form is just as important for avoiding injury. Minimal movement in the upper body, knees moving straight up and down through the stroke, and your feet "pushing" and "pulling" through the 12 and 6 position, like you are floating through the revolution.

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  4. Yuck! I've had knee pain on and off on the bike also. Never really know why it bothers me sometimes and not others. Hope you get it all figured out!

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  5. I got a lot of help from a pedal change, I had too much float with my old pedals and my knees were sort of doing this crazy Saturday Night Fever thing during the stroke. Forcing them to track straight took time to adjust to but it paid off. I hope it all works out!!!

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  6. Glad you stopped early instead of being a dumb ass :-). It is frustrating when it feels like you aren't making progress. Hope you get the issue resolved soon so you can get at it!

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  7. i have cleats that allow for a tiny bit of movement while pedaling. this allows for some flexibility with the knee. the are made by "Look".

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  8. I'm sorry that you are having knee pain and that the adjustment is making it worse! that is so frustrating for sure!!

    I wouldn't mind doing your bike portion...just don't make me swim!!! ;)

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  9. Hope you can get this sorted out. Good for you for not letting the niggle turn into something serious!

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