Innovative solutions for "knee knock" when triking

[ActiveMSers]

A fellow ActiveMSer sent me this cool and affordable tip to prevent the knees from tipping inward when cycling on a trike. This was a problem for me when bicycling, so solutions in this area could get me back on wheels sooner than expected.

In the situation of spinal cord injuries, the athlete must adapt to the problem where one or both knees may tend to swivel towards the other leg and trike centerline during pedaling motion. This decreases efficiency, interferes with the chain line, and sometimes can be a painful motion for the athlete.

http://www.recumbentjournal.com/view...challenge.html

[teena marie]

This looks like something I used on a NuStep exercise machine which was a combination elliptical and bike. What was great was that it trained the leg to pedal properly.

I may try to rig something up with my spin bike.

Teena Marie

[Veronica]

Ok, so I am a Happy Trikester now, but I am finding my right knee knocking to be very problematic...glad I remembered this post. I'm going to send it to both my PT and my new best friend, the trike dealer who said he was willing to rig something up for me. Thank you thank you!

[Marinadca]

I had no idea this was a thing! I thought it was just this weird thing that my right leg did sometimes! Thanks for sharing this.

I had hope I just needed to gain some more leg strength but its good to know there are some options out there.

[Veronica]

Knee knocking while triking

Marina, and here I thought you couldn't possibly have this problem! So we both learned something....TALK, huh?
One of the many reasons I opted for the trike was because these past two years on the two wheeler, my right calf would cave in to the point of not only really restricting my speed, but would end up getting cut by the chain... My PT and I problem solved with, of course more exercises for me to do, but coming into NYC Bike MS, I was concerned. Just to get through that day, he had me wear a compressed sleeve for my calf. The sole purpose of this was to keep me from getting cut and greased up...which it did, but by the end of the 30 miles my speed was so diminished, as I really basically was biking with one leg, well maybe a leg and a half...

I knew the trike would not completely solve this, but it does keep my calf from getting cut ...BUT the knee wobbling inward is much more pronounced since I am at a different angle. It kicked in on mile 7 of a 13 mile ride on Sunday and while I chuckled at how slow I was going at the end ( My ego is not strong enough to reveal this number!!) it does have me erked....

Can you share with me when it happens to you...on every ride? I can't find a way yet to compensate for it, that's why that "environmental modification" so interested me..

I am seeing my PT (who is an MS expert) next Friday and know he will have specific exercises for me to do.....he's quite creative that way, and while they do not correct all problems or do not correct them quickly, I think he will be able to pinpoint the exact muscle sequence that needs strengthing.... I am happy to share what he says, understanding that it may not specifically apply to your issue....
Have a good July 4th weekend!

[Marinadca]

Veronica, its funny how we so often dismiss stuff isn't it?

I notice it the most of the trainer at home, because there is no stopping or turning. But it happens to me during rides outside as well around the same mark as you...mile 7 or 8.

Its not a constant thing but randomly my leg will go wonky and twitch/spasm inward starting with the knee. I have a water bottle cage on the boom and I want to get it off of there because of this, it is pretty painful you hit this with my leg.

I try to focus of my form or pedal stroke but eventually I think I start getting fatigued and lax and this comes up. I am really interested in preventing this, so if you learn some exercises that help you, I would love to hear about.

I find that I try to compensate for it when it does happen and then I go the other way and whack my arm and the handle!

I am really hope that as my legs get stronger and more used to the motion his will start happening later and later into the ride and less and less often. It stinks but it doesn't diminish the awesome feeling of freedom I get on the trike. But with every new activity I find some new "thing" I have that I never knew about before.

[teena marie]

I have a similar thing when on my spin bike. For me, it's coming from my hip, the outer part. So when I push down on the pedal, I try and send the message from that part of my hip.

Teena Marie

[Veronica]

Teena Marie, I appreciated your comments about the leg wobble when you spin. Yes, mine also is outer hip related....have been doing some exercises specific to that area for a different issue I have. Interesting to me was that on my ride this weekend, the knee chose not to turn inward, but OUTWARD.....if I have to choose between positions, I'll take the outward one...a bit more power, although the inside of the knee hurt for the ride.....but immediately stopped when I finished...no residual pain...very weird... Like Marina commented, I hope it is just getting that area stronger to compensate...

[Marinadca]

Does sound like outward is the lesser of the evils at the moment.

I am not sure where my issue originates from, I will have to pay more attention and see if I can isolate that.

One funny (sort of) thing is that I also bruise easily so after 2 days in a row riding my inner right leg's calf is full of bruises. Looks like I don't even know what.