Cycling, The Achy Butt Problem™, and Reversing Chronic Knee Pain

Something you probably don’t know about me: I used to teach cycling classes… even though I hate cycling. 

The tiny, rock-hard seats you never get used to. The repetitive movements (there’s only so much variety you can give to 3 positions in a cycling class). The lack of scenery or anything to look at – in my classes, I actually had to visualize/talk my students through an imaginary journey across a hilly countryside. Frankly, I’d rather just slap up a poster of a hilly countryside and let you use your own imagination. I’m lazy, sue me.

Sure, I was good at it. But I hated it.

Crazy right? Why on earth would I dedicate hours each week toward a job I hated?

This was way back during the days I was starting to branch out into orthopedics and joint work. It was a few more years of grinding and teaching 20+ classes a week before I finally went all-in working with curvy women on how to reverse their joint pain.

But even though I hated cycling, one of my students – let’s call her Mikayla – LOVED cycling.

I’m talking showing up 10+ minutes early for every class – often even before I’d get there to unlock the studio door. I mean, getting custom-made indoor cycling shoes. Wearing full-on professional cycling clothes to every class. And I’m pretty sure I even spotted Tour de France wallpaper on her phone.

Now, that’s loving a sport!

I asked her once if she did any biking outside of class and Mikayla told me she dreamed of cycling through the South of France.

Unsurprising – and also totally epic. That sounds like so much fun, I’m half considering the idea myself. I’ll figure out a solution to The Achy Butt Problem™ later.

But there was one problem: debilitating knee pain meant she couldn’t straighten her legs all the way.

She had trouble doing the simplest tasks like walking or squatting down to pick things up off the floor. Indoor cycling was about the only activity she could do without pain in her knees.

I had no clue the first several months she came to my classes. None.

It wasn’t until one day towards the end of class, I mentioned that I also do orthopedic work when I’m not teaching cycling. Mikayla came up to me after class and showed me her knee, and more specifically, how she couldn’t straighten it.

The thing is, knee pain is actually pretty simple to fix. Especially when the cause is tight hamstrings.

*Quick note, there are many reasons why you could be having knee pain; tight hamstrings is just one reason out of dozens.

Once I started working with her, Mikayla could straighten her leg completely within about 2 months.

So what did she do as soon as she realized she wasn’t doomed to painful knees forever? Plan a bike trip to the South of France, of course!