With any knee pain, care must be taken to avoid activities that can cause reinjury. Although exercise helps to stabilize and strengthen your knee, it must be done without aggravating the healing process. Cycling is recommended because it exercises both the muscles that flex your knee and the ones that extend it. A stationary bike affords more control for cycling because it can be done with a minimum of compression of the joint.
Knee Ligament Injuries
Injuries to the internal ligaments in the knee usually occur with a weight-bearing, twisting motion. Stationary bikes help with internal ligament injury because they minimize twisting and reduce weight bearing stress on the injured joint. Ligaments on the inside of the knee and those that attach on the sides of the knee are also susceptible to stress of side bending.
Inherent Advantages of Stationary Biking
The stationary cycle provides a consistent means of doing rehabilitative exercises without being concerned about the weather outside. Additionally, because you are sitting, your knee doesn't have to hold up your body weight during the exercise. A recumbent cycle is a variation of the stationary cycle that removes even more compression because the pedals are out in front of you instead of under you. Further, resistance is adjustable and can be gradually increased as you make progress.
Stationary Biking Advantages for Intensity
If you have knee pain, stationary cycling is a safe form of exercise that is still available to you. The unpredicatability of changing terrain and elevation faced with outdoor cycling poses risks for the injured knee. There may be sections of your route that would require you to stand up to pedal and could risk reinjury for the knee ligaments. The stationary bike provides a predictable level of resistance intensity.
Stationary Biking Advantages for Endurance
The nature of an outdoor bike ride requires you to finish the course to get back to where you started. With a stationary bike, you can work out for a predictable length of time and build your endurance gradually and safely. Should you find your knee complains during your workout, you don't have to push on to get back home.
Other Considerations
Good form is important, so make sure you position your seat height to leave your knee slightly bent at the bottom of your pedal stroke. If your knee pain persists, you can reduce it by using an ice or frozen gel pack over the area of pain immediately after exercise. You can also use a compression sleeve brace or wrap to provide additional stability while you are exercising. Elevating your knee when you sit down will help if you have swelling after exercise. Any knee pain that persists even with rest and conservative self-care should be evaluated by a sports-oriented physician, therapist or chiropractor.
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