TheHealthy discusses how to prevent and treat knee pain related to indoor cycling according to experts including HSS sports medicine physician Jordan D. Metzl, MD.

While biking has many benefits, if you’re riding more inside, you might have knee pain simply because your patella, or knee cap, isn’t used to the loading forces from biking which is different from running or almost any other activity, explained Dr. Metzl. “Like with other sports, it takes a while to build up the proper muscle strength, and technique, to make biking pain free,” he said. “With an indoor bike right next to the work-from-home station, it’s easy to just jump on and just go, too. If your body is untrained, or not used to the loading force, it can cause pain.”

Pain can be the body’s way of telling you that you might be overdoing it, so rest may be best. “If you’re doing the same sport every day in a row, it can cause pain,” noted Dr. Metzl. “I’d recommend biking every other or every third day and then adding in some other fun activities.” If you’re feeling pain, especially for a couple days or weeks in a row, chances are good that some inflammation has built up in your knee. “Ice is nature’s anti-inflammatory,” cited Dr. Metzl. “Fifteen minutes of ice after exercise can do a painful knee a world of good, both from the anesthesia of cold, and the reduction in the cytokines that cause tissue irritation.” He also suggested elevating the knee and applying a compress for additional support.

Try doing all these things combined—rest, ice, compress, and elevate, also known as the RICE method, said Dr. Metzl. “These four treatments in unison seem to yield the best result.” 

Read the full article at TheHealthy.com.