Clipped in Climbing and injury....

jamLCFC
jamLCFC Posts: 197
edited September 2012 in Road beginners
So i am new to the world of being clipped in and from the very first ride i have had no pain at all from knees etc . I would admit the set up is probably more luck than judgement but it works and i am well chuffed and enjoying using them and the benefits they bring.

Over recent weeks my fitness has greatly improved and i have started getting out the seat and getting up those hills standing and pedaling. Over recent miles i have been really working the hills and pushing myself to stand for longer and get up the hills quicker.

The problem i have is that after the harder rides i am getting a pain that seems to go right through the right hand side of my groin and specifically my right `ball`. having thought about it i can only assume that its caused by the upward pull i have on my pedal when climbing. Does this sound pheasible? Is it likely to be set up of the pedal or a technique related issue?

In fact any other suggestions are welcome. :D

Many thanks
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Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!

Comments

  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Sounds like you have been pushing yourself too much and strained something.

    Rest days are as important as anything and warming up and stretching should not be forgone either.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Why are you pulling up on the pedals?
    More problems but still living....
  • jamLCFC
    jamLCFC Posts: 197
    amaferanga wrote:
    Why are you pulling up on the pedals?


    Good question....its just somethinmg i have been doing. I guess thats a bit of ignorance on my part.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!
  • jamLCFC
    jamLCFC Posts: 197
    smidsy wrote:
    Sounds like you have been pushing yourself too much and strained something.
    Rest days are as important as anything and warming up and stretching should not be forgone either.

    I try to ride 3 or 4 days a week and am concious of having rest days. Straining sounds probable as its definately related to being out the saddle climbing as the rides where i just spin bring no issues post ride.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!
  • MartinB2444
    MartinB2444 Posts: 266
    Getting out of the saddle definitely places bigger strains on muscles and ligaments especially around the pelvis. Essentially you are working at a lower cadence and putting more force through the pedals.

    It sounds like you need to back off with the standing up riding. Make sure the problem as fully resolved before trying again and then be a bit more conservative. Whilst dancing on the pedals might look cool it usually isn't the most efficient way to get up a hill.

    Martin
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    amaferanga wrote:
    Why are you pulling up on the pedals?

    Exactly, the knee joint isn't designed for tension, only compression.
  • jamLCFC
    jamLCFC Posts: 197
    thanks all....arse in the seat it is then !!
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    jamLCFC wrote:
    thanks all....ars* in the seat it is then !!

    There's nothing wrong with standing, you just shouldn't be pulling on the pedal.
  • kayakerchris
    kayakerchris Posts: 361
    Exactly, the knee joint isn't designed for tension, only compression.
    What a load of bollocks!
    I am sorry but this is nonsense. It would be perfectly reasonable to say that the knee is more designed for tension than the hip joint for example which is a tight ball and socket joint.

    The knee will come to no harm from any physiological tension that is applied. The major knee flexor in use during pulling up on the pedals will be the hamstrings, adductors and the TFL. All of these insert distal to the knee joint around the top of the tibia and therefore will cause no problems to the knee at all. Pulling up on the knee is a very sensible and recommended technique.
    Could it cause problems around the pelvis? Yes but this is likely due to sudden and unexpected overuse not the actual technique.
    www.hand-surgery.co.uk
    www.dupuytrens.co.uk
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    kayakerchris wrote:
    Exactly, the knee joint isn't designed for tension, only compression.
    What a load of bollocks!

    Quite why you feel the need to be so aggressive is beyond me...........

    I still say the ligaments of the knee joint aren't designed to be continually pulled apart under tension........
  • kayakerchris
    kayakerchris Posts: 361
    Sorry. The light hearted nature of the comment did not come across in the written word.I sincerely did not mean to be rude. As the main muscles run across the knee joint the cartilage will be under a neutral tension or even a slight compressive load. Ligaments ONLY have any function in tension. They are basically pieces of string and work in tension.
    Fundamentally you cannot pull upwards with your foot whilst bending your knee and significantly distract your knee joint surfaces due to the mode of action and the anatomy of the knee joint.

    Chris

    consultant surgeon
    www.hand-surgery.co.uk
    www.dupuytrens.co.uk
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I'm sure I saw a study that showed that even when people thought they were pulling up on the pedals - they werent in any significant way.

    What RPM are you pedalling at ? You're better off spinning smaller gears than mashing huge gears and putting your knees under more pressure.

    As to your b*llock hurting - thats a new one for me. Are you trapping it when you sit down ? :shock:
  • jamLCFC
    jamLCFC Posts: 197
    according to Garmin cadence is sitting at high 60`s so not rapid. From reading on here i know i need to get that up and i am working on it and thats one of the reasons i invested in clipping in.

    Its a fit cop ....I have been pulling on the pedals because i thought that was okay to do...numpty maybe but you live and learn.

    I will go with a strain and take my time on the climbs.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!
  • MartinB2444
    MartinB2444 Posts: 266
    I developed piriformis syndrome which caused a buttock pain aggravated by pushing hard on climbs. To get round the problem I started using a lower gear and using a higher cadence. I was surprised to find my climbing speed rose significantly
  • fudbeer
    fudbeer Posts: 118
    edited September 2012
    Could be you are over doing it.

    In my opinion a massive proportion of injurys are caused by people overdong it and building millage to fast or pushing it to much on to many rides.

    You may not feel pain when you are out but instead feel it when resting or could be storing up trouble for later,its how I got my chronic knee injury and you do NOT want that as then it is serious time out of the saddle!

    Pain is you bodys way of warning you something is wrong,problem is when the solution is to lay off a bit we often do not want to listen!
    Currently I have been mostly riding a Specialized Roubaix Comp
  • Sentral
    Sentral Posts: 64
    danowat wrote:
    amaferanga wrote:
    Why are you pulling up on the pedals?

    Exactly, the knee joint isn't designed for tension, only compression.
    Huh, I thought the fact that you can pull up was one of the advantages of using SPD's. Is this a bad thing to do?
    Strava/Tumblr/Blog
  • jamLCFC
    jamLCFC Posts: 197
    Sentral wrote:
    danowat wrote:
    amaferanga wrote:
    Why are you pulling up on the pedals?
    quote]
    Huh, I thought the fact that you can pull up was one of the advantages of using SPD's. Is this a bad thing to do?


    thats was my logic but i stand corrected
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    See here for a useful article on technique that includes reference to two studies into technique showing that the benefit was negligible as the concious effort in pulling up on one pedal was negated by the corresponding failure to put full effort into the downstroke of the opposite pedal. Instead the "pulling up" is simply ensuring that your power stroke isn't being used to push your lazy other leg back up and that you get your trailing leg back into position as quickly as possible, ready for the next power stroke.
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.

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