Is biking 18 miles a day too much for the knees?

Question

Should I be wearing knee supports or something. I remember once before I injured a knee (dislocation) because I was doing warehouse work which required me to go up and down stairs a lot. The doctor suggested that the knee became weak, even though my leg muscles may have been getting stronger. Same this time around, I think I suffered a twist in my knee. Its swelled up bit, and I have recently been biking 18 miles (round trip) two and from work.

Answer 1

No.

Riding a bike does not put the same kind of pressure on your knees as going up and down stairs.

18 miles a day isn't all that much - it's probably good for you.  If you have weak knees already, it might aggravate it, but it's probably not going to cause too much of a problem, unless the bike is fit to your body improperly.

You may want to take your bike to a bike shop, and have it fitted to you - make sure that the seat, pedals and handlebars are positioned correctly for the most efficient transfer of force to your pedals, without putting wierd stresses on your knees.

Answer 2

Honestly, it will depend. Do you ride in the highest (hardest) gear possible? If you do, then it will put added pressure on your knees. The best and most efficient method is to keep your cadence high in a lower gear. This will put less pressure on your knees, but it might be more difficult to maintain at first.

Cadence=how quickly you pedal with faster, generally, being better.

Answer 3

no - biking is one of the better ways for someone with knee problems to exercise due to the relatively low impact on the joints.  

Answer 4

No you should be fine, 18 miles is fairly short its a nice ride. If your knee starts to hurt or swells up then just pull over for 5-10 minutes. you should be fine.