Knee Bend, Knee Pain and Leg Drive

It's pretty much refuted that you can no longer do the "fist under the knee" height to determine footboard distance, due the varying nature of the humps in surfski cockpits from each manufacture. Are there any goiniometic angle, say "135 degrees of leg bend" that is a standard? Or at least to use as a starting point? I know for the most part, comfort wise, you are only dealing with a notch or two fore and aft.

Also, for the first time in my 49 years, I have developed knee pain bilaterally, but left much more than right. Nothing changed other than more time in the surfski this year. I am wondering if my set up is jacking up my knees. I am assuming if I lengthen out my footboard it will help and I will be doing that, but has anyone else developed knee pain from what they think is paddling induced? What steps did you take to knock it down?

Thanks in advance.

I know what you mean. The humps between my v8 and SEL are pretty different. I have them both set so that my leg drive ends with the inside of my knee just touching the hump. To each his own though.

As far as the knee pain on one side.....this might sound odd but are both your legs the same length? I know my left leg is just slightly longer and over the years I can notice it when running, paddling, etc. If so, you just need to make sure you release pressure on it.

I take black cherry juice every day for joint pain and therefore I live pain free.
I can't sit on the floor with my legs straight out. Not even when I was a kid. I just don't move that way. Therefore I keep my knees higher in the ski then might be suggested but I'm comfortable. Seems to work just fine for me. I'm not trying to set any water speed records. Hope that helps.

What my physio said...

(dominant hip flexors/dormant glute med)
www.verywell.com/hip-weakness-may-contri...to-knee-pain-2696375

(side plank hip abductors with bands + other ideas)
www.running-physio.com/glutemed/

Confirmed no physical damage by mri.

Still working through it - from past experience takes around 3 months of consistent exercise to fix these types - lower back pain fixed with deadlifts. (Atrophied spinal erectors confirmed by mri).