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Our user asked: "I have been told by a very good doctor that I have arthritis behind my knees. He told me a couple exercises to do with my knees...like doing leg lifts...about 6 inches off the floor, and also told that an elliptical machine would be good. He did say that walking would be good, too. When I asked if bicycling was good, he said yes, but to not bend the knees alot. I have the seat on my bike fairly high ( I have to lean the bike to the side in order to get on it) but I am not sure if I'm bending my knees too much. Why is it not good to bend the knees? Can you tell me more exercises and reasons for not bending the knees?"
Ask a PT Response: "The more you bend your knees while cycling, the more force you are putting through the knee joint. With a knee bent too much, this can be too aggressive for someone with osteoarthritis. If you take a look at the anatomy of the knee, when the knee is extended/straight in standing the femoral condyles (end of thigh bone) have maximal contact on the tibia (top of the lower leg bone) and allows for a greater surface area for the distribution of forces. However, as the knee goes into flexion/bending, the area where forces can be distributed becomes smaller and results in added stresses to a smaller focused area on your femoral condyles. This added stress to a focused area could result in further damage to the cartilage of an individual who is already suffering form osteoarthritis.
As far as biking goes, according to a new study by Willard Peveler, Ph.D., of the University of Central Arkansas, properly dialing in your saddle by the angle of your knee can maximize cycling efficiency. The ideal angle for cycling, Peveler found, is a 25-degree knee bend when the crank arm is in a 6 o'clock position. You can also check out this article on "Saddling up a Proper Bike Fit" to make sure you have proper, safe setup for bicycling: http://www.therapytimes.com/content=5801J64E489EBC841 - http://www.therapytimes.com/content=5801J64E489EBC841 . I hope this helps."
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