Is cycling good for your knees?
Activity
Learn about the benefits of the low-impact exercise.
When you have any kind of discomfort in or around your knees, it can make exercise feel like a chore—and a bad idea. But doing a low-impact workout like cycling may help alleviate some of those aches and pains. Cycling in particular can help improve the knee joints' range of motion and reduce stiffness, both experts and research suggest.
Still, there's a big difference between discomfort you can tolerate and sharp, debilitating pain, says physiotherapist Andy Fata-Chan, DPT, founder of Moment Physical Therapy and Performance in NYC. "The minute you [start] thinking about the pain more than the actual activity, look for a modification".
When is it OK to cycle with knee pain?
John Hinson, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Palm Beach Orthopedic Institute in Florida, generally recommends cycling to most of his patients, including those with pre-existing knee issues.
"A specific condition I will allow patients to cycle with is mild-to-moderate underlying arthritis", he says. "[These people] can benefit from the low-impact nature of cycling, as it helps improve their flexibility and strengthen their thighs and legs".
When to skip the bike
There are a few conditions and knee injuries where Hinson strongly advises against cycling. These include:
- Severe arthritis
- Meniscus tear that causes a locking or catching sensation, also known as a mechanical block
- Patella fracture (broken kneecap)
- Free-floating bone or cartilage fragment in knee
- Certain ligament injuries
It's wise to cut back on cycling if you're experiencing unusually intense pain during it, he adds. "Cyclists may need to modify or even stop cycling for a period to help recover from their issue".
Fata-Chan recommends avoiding bike workouts when the knee is swollen or the pain is so severe that it alters the way you walk.
"You should also not keep working through knee pain that continues to persist for weeks", he says. "If there's a general, dull ache from doing a little more [cycling] than usual or not getting enough sleep, then that's OK".
Shop Nike cycling clothing
Stationary bike vs. outdoor cycling: which is better for knee pain?
Another perk of cycling indoors on a stationary bike is that you have complete control over the duration and intensity of your workout, Hinson says. You can adjust the resistance and the type of workout you do fairly easily on an indoor bike. If you need to stop your ride earlier than anticipated due to pain or a time constraint, you won't be stranded miles away from home.
That said, there is no reason you can't cycle outdoors—it just might require some additional planning. "The stationary bike can never replace outdoor cycling as an experience", Hinson says. If you own a bike that's properly fitted to your height and up-to-date on maintenance, "a well-planned route can be a safe and enjoyable experience for a cyclist dealing with knee pain issues".
What are the benefits of cycling with knee pain?
1. Boosts blood flow to joints
There's a reason people hit the bike for 10 to 15 minutes before their strength workout. The low-impact cardio helps you warm up by promoting oxygen-rich blood to flow through your muscles so that you move through your workout safely.
Fata-Chan says the cyclical nature of cycling allows the knee joint to compress and decompress, which can help increase flexibility and reduce discomfort. "If you do 10 bodyweight squats, your knee will only bend 10 times", he explains. "When you cycle for one minute, you may get 60 to 100 revolutions".
2. Promotes range of motion
That cyclical motion pays off in more ways than one. As you push your knee through this rotation, it prevents the joint from stiffening by producing synovial fluid that keeps it lubricated and cushioned. When your knees can move through this full range of motion, it makes everyday activities, such as bending down to pick up something from the floor, easier and less painful, Hinson explains.
3. Builds lower-body strength
A low-impact exercise like cycling can help strengthen the muscles around the knee, which can protect your joints, Hinson says. Cycling recruits various muscle groups in the legs, including the quadriceps, calves, glutes and hamstrings.
The hamstrings and quadriceps in particular support the knee—the former helps the knee to bend while the latter helps you straighten it. Strengthening those muscle groups also helps to take pressure off the joint, which can help reduce your risk of a strain or other injury.
Fata-Chan recommends challenging yourself by increasing the resistance on your bike (whether stationary or outdoors) to a level you can comfortably tolerate, as it can help increase muscular endurance in your legs.
4. Improves osteoarthritis symptoms
Knee osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and it can damage ligaments and tendons, bone and cartilage. Ageing (particularly menopause), overuse from repetitive movements of the joint, and family history can all increase your risk of arthritis.
However, cycling may help prevent it. Hinson points to a 2024 observational study, which found that cycling may substantially reduce the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
If you already have arthritis in your knees, cycling may be the remedy you need to reduce pain. One 2015 study found in The Journal of Rheumatology suggests that cycling for 45 minutes, three days a week at a moderate intensity can significantly reduce joint pain and stiffness and improve strength in those with osteoarthritis.
How to safely cycle with knee pain
Both Fata-Chan and Hinson offer tips on how you can ride in comfort.
Tip 1: Progress gradually
"Start with lower intensity and duration and build up your programme over time", says Hinson, adding that many forget to start out slow and steady. "Gradually building up your programme will allow your muscles and joints to become accustomed to new strains and help prevent common overuse injuries that can keep you off the bike".
Tip 2: Adjust the seat height
"Improper seat height can cause both patellofemoral issues—front of the knee—or posterior knee issues—back of the knee—if the seat is too low or high, respectively", Hinson says. Ask your physiotherapist or doctor to help you identify the right height for you.
Tip 3: Address ankle and hip mobility
Before your cycling hobby takes off, you'll want to make sure you have strong mobility in your ankles and hips. "As your knees get closer to your hips as you are cycling, the ankles and hips have to go into deeper ranges of dorsiflexion and hip flexion, respectively", Fata-Chan says. "The goal with mobility is making sure you get into the right positions".
If you have limited range of motion in both of those areas, it can add extra stress on your knees. Check out these hip mobility and ankle mobility exercises.
When to see a doctor
If your knee pain persists or gets worse after treating your symptoms with anti-inflammatory, over-the-counter medications, compression sleeves and dialling back on exercise, that's a sign to see a doctor to make sure nothing serious is going on.
"There are some conditions that, if ignored, can lead to bigger issues, which may be more difficult to treat or even lead to permanent symptoms", Hinson says.
Your doctor may also recommend you go see a physiotherapist who can help design a rehabilitation plan that includes mobility, strength and dynamic movements, Fata-Chan adds.
Words by Cheyenne Buckingham