Why Does Mountain Biking Hurt My Knees?

Mountain biking is a recreational sport that can quickly become a passion for many. It offers the thrill of traveling through challenging terrain, the opportunity to take in breathtaking scenery, and the satisfaction of mastering skills as your abilities improve. Unfortunately, mountain biking can also be hard on your joints, especially your knees.

Common knee injuries from mountain biking include iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), patellar tendonitis, and patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

ITBS is an inflammation of the tendon that runs along the outside of your thigh and connects at the knee joint. Patellar tendonitis is an irritation at the bottom of your kneecap caused by repetitive strain or overuse. PFPS is a catch-all term for any kind of pain around or behind your kneecap due to improper alignment or overuse. All three conditions are caused by activities like mountain biking that involve repetitive movement that stresses the knees.

There are several steps you can take to reduce the risk of knee injury while mountain biking. First, make sure you have proper form when riding.

Your feet should never point outwards or inwards when pedaling; instead, keep them parallel with each other and perpendicular to your bike frame. Ensure that you have proper shock absorption on your bike; shocks can help absorb some of the impact from bumps and jumps so it doesn’t all go straight to your joints.

It’s also important to warm up before each ride and cool down afterwards with light stretching exercises designed for cyclists. This helps get blood flowing to your muscles and lubricate your joints before they take any hard hits from riding terrain.

Conclusion:
Mountain biking can be hard on your knees if you’re not careful. With proper form, shock absorption, warm up exercises, and cool down stretches you can help reduce the risk of knee injury while still enjoying this thrilling sport.

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Chris Powell