Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Knee Ache When Cycling - Does it Have You Spinning Your Wheels? Effective Ways to Reduce Discomfort


Whether you are an avid cyclist, or just like to take an occasional jaunt on your bike, your knee aches and pains when cycling can cause you to "put on the brakes", if you know what we mean...

Cycling is considered by many to be, a healthy and enjoyable sport. Unfortunately, it can quickly become an unpleasant chore if your knees are sore. The pain problems may start while you are riding, or it may not occur until after the ride is through. Moreover, it can last anywhere from a few minutes to hours on end.

Rest may help, but can certainly infringe on your desire to cycle. Some cyclists ice their knees after they dismount their bikes, and this may also help reduce the pain. But if your knee ache occurs while you're cycling, how practical is it to ride around with ice packs strapped to your knees?

Over the counter pain medications (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) may also help reduce the knee aches when cycling, but they may offer only a temporary fix. - Speak with your physician before using any medications.

So, if you experience knee ache when cycling, aside from the temporary solutions listed above, and aside from giving up the sport entirely, what options do you have?

The solution to the dilemma of your knee aches may be something as simple and affordable as a knee brace. You should seriously take a moment to think about this knee pain relief option. Knee supports can help reduce your knee pain because of the meaningful support that they provide, and they are not super expensive either. Nor, do they have to be big and bulky.

If you experience discomfort in your knees when cycling, whether it is consistent, or whether it comes and goes, you should always seek the advice of a qualified physician to determine the cause of the pain. Knee aches when cycling can stem from a number of different issues. Most likely, though, it is caused either by inflammation within the knee join, or wear and tear on the knee cap and/or the cartilage disc underlying the knee cap (such as found with chondromalacia patella). Meniscus tears can also be at the root of your current pain issues. There are a host of other, possible causes of discomfort when cycling and only a qualified professional can properly diagnose the cause of your particular symptoms. Still, whatever the cause of the symptoms, a brace can help alleviate the ache when cycling.

A support is designed to cradle the knee, fitting snugly around your leg. This will help to relieve the stress on the joint that may cause knee ache when cycling. Furthermore, the knee brace can help keep the patella in its proper place as it tracks over the joint during activity. When the knee is properly positioned, and the excess stress is taken off the joint itself, the inflammation often associated with knee ache when cycling can also be reduced, thus helping to reduce the achy sensations that have been slowing you down.

Knee braces come in a variety of styles and designs to fit your personal needs. They do not have to be custom-made, and are generally affordable. All are designed to offer mobility and added support to help keep you cycling.

In the end, you are the one that has to live with the knee pain if you do not become proactive. Hopefully it will disappear by itself, but when it does not, you should consider a knee support because it is a low cost option that you can use right away to help stabilize your knee.

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