Really hoping someone can give me some advice on this.
About 3 weeks ago after my usual Sunday off road ride that night I was woken with pain in a lower leg. Not muscle spasm or shin splints, but it appeared to be the tibia bone that was aching. The only way to relieve it appeared to be getting up and walking round for 15 mins. The same thing happened the following night. I decided to do some leg stretches as thought that might be the problem. Next Sunday ride as usual and the same that night. Spent the next 10 days trying to do as little as possible and most nights were fine but sometimes it did flare up even after a non-active day.
Have seen the Doc and she thinks it’s tendon trouble so I’ll get physio after waiting for many weeks!
Nipped out for a very slow local ride yesterday and it was back last night. Again if I get out of bed and walk round for a few minutes it subsides. The best description I can offer is it feels more like toothache in your leg.
For info I am 10st and a pensioner. No previous leg injuries, no accidents as of late. I ride for about 2hrs with roughly 1200ft of climbing on Sundays and pop out for local spins of about 7-8 miles a couple of times in the week.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I used to get similar as a kid, everyone put it down to growing pains. Started again a while back with coincided with a new roll at work and an increase in training. Thought it might be dehydration (field work so less access to drink) and since making the effort to drink more, it’s been fine.

Comes back occasionally and then I realise I’ve been really busy all day and not had much to drink.

Long shot I know, but easy to fix if it is.

Good luck with it.

That’s interesting; the last 6 weeks or so I have been increasing the effort riding and I am a devil for not drinking enough when I ride. I don’t drink enough during the day either so that could be an area to explore. Just got back from a Demo day ride which lasted about 1hr 30mins and I probably took a slurp about 3 times IIRC. 2 cups of coffee since but that has the opposite effect really I suppose.
Will give hydration a go, I’ve nothing to lose. Thanks

Let me know if it works.

Used to get jarring shin pains if I walked or ran too much. Too much impact. Though don’t get it riding, but guess the way you ride or the set up could cause an impact like action on the lower legs.

I get something similar and I put it down to really tight glutes

I’ve had it for a few years on and off but it stops when I get back to foam rolling

Nerves in the leg pass thru the glutes / hip area and if its tight there (and stiffens overnight) then the nerve gets aggravated and can lead to ‘referred pain’ else where. Foam rolling, hydration and ‘flossing’ the nerve all help

Hydration and easy yoga gets me through most aches and pains

I have had the exact same problem the nhs couldn’t help the best advice I can give you is to call physios
Harris and Ross and ask to be treated by Rob Harris this is the guy who sorts the athertons and Josh Bryceland
rely sound guy and not much more expensive than your high street physio he’s based in the manchester cheshire area sooner you go the better. hope this helps regards Scott.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Going to try the “home” remedies first and see how I get on for a couple of weeks. If nothing improves it’s looking like the sports physio then. I’ll post up if/when I find something works.

If you are getting pain in your leg waking you at night I would think about going back to your GP if things aren’t improving. They work on a wait and see approach with the premise that if you don’t go back, it must have gone away. It’s a good approach as most musculoskeletal injuries get better with time and rest but I’d definitely get a review if it’s persisting.

Promised to get back so here goes.
Still waiting for the NHS physio appointment which I will go to and see what they say.
Have increased my water intake whilst riding and more so after and I do think this has helped. Started stretching exercises after riding and generally about 4 times a week anyway. The pain was still there for a couple of weeks but has now appeared to have gone. Finally have taken to wearing a neoprene lower leg support.
Sadly rather a confusing amount of possible solutions but I have learnt one thing, don’t take it for granted your body will keep functioning without problem if you just ride and not take any measures to alleviate possible injuries, especially when you are a pensioner!

Backing off a touch is best to allow what ever it is to heal. I think it’s good you’re getting advice, if you can it’s worth seeing a sports specific physio with knowledge of cycling and related injuries, particularly given you ride regularly. It could be something completely unrelated you don’t even remember doing that cycling sets off…
When you get going again remember to cover the basics: stretch before and after, hydrate during and after. Best way to stretch is about 10mins after warming up – not flat out spinning but steady state – then hop off and go up the leg stretching each group; calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings. Remember the hamstring effectively starts at your ankle, travels up the back of your leg, round your bum and inserts into the back above the pelvis (roughly speaking). So the stretching up the leg and bum helps this.
Have you tried any hydration fluids? you can buy the usual lucozade or things like SiS powders but a good cost effective one is get some glucose powder from a chemist (boots do it) add a scoop to some water and a decent pinch of salt. does exactly the same as the expensive stuff only much cheaper!

What sort of bike/terrain do you ride? the recent dry weather may have changed the trails allowing you to push a bit harder – could have caused a slight pull on something.
I know out on my hardtail I’ve been able to go harder in the drier conditions (loving it!), though hanging off the pedals over bumps it’s the tendons around the ankles that take the hits, might be a minor technical thing but if the knees can flex and take the hits that would save the lower legs – from a purely biomechanical view.