Sore legs

wotnoshoeseh
wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
edited February 2016 in Training, fitness and health
Yes,

Sorry, I know, it's to be expected.
And usually I'd agree but recently (over the past 3-4 weeks or so) I've been having pain in my left leg after a cycle run. It's on the underside of my thigh and down into my calf on the left side.
Today I only had a 31-32 mile ride, but this afternoon I went for a drive and was really feeling the pain in the underside of my thigh and more so in my calf.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Do I move....
    Seat up? Seat down? Seat forward?

Any input gratefully received....

Comments

  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Has anything changed, bike setup, riding further / harder ?

    To get your saddle in the right position KOPS gives a good fore / aft starting position that you can adjust. For saddle height too high causes all kinds of injuries, signs of this are rocking on the saddle or feet pointed down as you stretch for the pedals. Too low just means you are less efficient. A spirit level is handy to get the saddle level if you are on level ground.
  • damocles10
    damocles10 Posts: 340
    It could be anything, check cleats too. Also, if you are experience pain perhaps your body is in an unnatural position while riding creating a knock on affect to your riding position. I had this after a crash and I was over-compensating on my left hand side - just made the situation worse. Have you rested? I don't ride if I am injured.
  • wotnoshoeseh
    wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
    Nothing has changed.

    KOPS??
  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    Knee Over Pedal Spindle, KOPS, there are lots of differing websites on how to set your bike up Google will find about a million hits. I paid for a professional bike fit it was just easier after having lots of injuries. Do you suffer with any back problems that would result in sciatica?
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    My guess would be hamstring damage. Maybe saddle is too high/too far forward, could also be injury/strain from other parts of life (like your car seat!)
    Getting a good bike fit might help but don't change everything at once. If its suddenly arisen and you've had no accident I would rest, don't aggravate the soreness, stretch gently. See if it gets better by itself before changing anything.
    If there's always been a tendency to feel the pain you have - get your bike position sorted.
  • top_bhoy
    top_bhoy Posts: 1,424
    The pain after the cycle could be a symptom of something else, not the cycle therefore the injury could be completely unrelated to the bike. Book an appointment with a physio to try and identify the exact nature of the injury before tinkering with the bike.

    If all has been well until this point and nothing on the bike or pedal set-up has recently changed, I'd leave the bike alone for the moment.

    My 2p worth.
    Click here to view Top_Bhoys Pedal Force:
    Click here to view Top_Bhoys RC2:
  • EatSleepTrainSmart
    EatSleepTrainSmart Posts: 3
    wotnoshoeseh wrote:
    Yes,

    Sorry, I know, it's to be expected.
    And usually I'd agree but recently (over the past 3-4 weeks or so) I've been having pain in my left leg after a cycle run. It's on the underside of my thigh and down into my calf on the left side.
    Today I only had a 31-32 mile ride, but this afternoon I went for a drive and was really feeling the pain in the underside of my thigh and more so in my calf.
    Can anyone point me in the right direction?

    Do I move....
      Seat up? Seat down? Seat forward?

    Any input gratefully received....

    Sound like you're getting nerve impingement in one of your lumbar discs. This is more likely a muscle imbalance issue that could have been caused by a bad bike fit, motor control and/or incorrect muscle activation (quad dominant cycling). If you're not able to hold a neutral back comfortably, this would be the first thing to investigate.

    -Vincent

    EatSleepTrainSmart.com
  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,500
    ^^ agreed
    That could be sciatic pain if it's down the back of the leg and into the calf (ive had it on both left and right legs) but if it is then the cause is pressure on the nerve in your lower back.
  • zefs
    zefs Posts: 484
    I am not sure if this will help your issue, but thought of posting anyway. I've found that doing core excercise/stretches before/after a ride and also massage the legs after a ride helps a lot:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTPzazK0lOk
  • AllezAllezAllez
    AllezAllezAllez Posts: 207
    I was suffering from knee pain and the Physio suggested stretching and daily use of a foam roller.....this has worked a treat. Personally, I would highly recommend seeing a Physio which costs around £40 for a session.

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