Unexpected cycling injury - turbo induced hamstring + knee pain

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Unexpected cycling injury - turbo induced hamstring + knee pain

22 posts & 7 voices | Started 7 months ago by ourmaninthenorth | Latest reply from Surrounded By Zulus

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ourmaninthenorth - Member

A weird one this.

After months off the bike this year, I'm now back on trying to regain some of the lovely fitness I lost. Tues + Thurs are designated turbo nights.

After any turbo session (including in my fit days), immediately after finishing my warm down and climbing off, I'd suffer really bad hamstring and knee pain. I never get this when riding outdoors.

Pain in my hamstrings is really high (at the join with my aris, basically) and the knee pain is in the tendon just below the kneecap and slightly to the outside.

Last night was the worst ever - I was close to crying with the pain and couldn't bend my legs to sot down.

Any idea what might be causing it (other than using a turbo)?

Posted 7 months ago #
djaustin - Member

ITB injury? Rest and ice. Looks like you've been overdoing it. I suspect you don't get out of the saddle on the turbo as often as on the road. This may be a factor.

Posted 7 months ago #
druidh - Member

Remember that the turbo holds the bike stationary, whereas out on the road it'll move around under your weight. The Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll might cure this (at a cost).

Posted 7 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

I'd go with maintaining the same position for too long and starting back riding a bit too hard.

Maybe stop every so often and do some stretching during the turbo session?

Posted 7 months ago #
DenDennis - Member

yes, sounds like you're caning it a bit early before having fully warmed up. I get same pain at top of hammy when I do this.
figure-of-4 stretch before/after can help and is the only one i've found that targets that area... i wouldnt stop during the session though, just start easy for at least 10mins.

Posted 7 months ago #
scu98rkr - Member

Pain in my hamstrings is really high (at the join with my aris, basically)

Are you sure this is hamstring pain and not sciatica ? (ie pain from sciatic nerve near hamstring)

When I first got sciatica I thought it was something wrong with my hamstring. It quite obvious to me the difference now between nerve pain and an actual muscle problem.

Might explain the tightness in hamstring. This leads to problems further down the kinetic chain ie your knee.

Again as others stay the stationairy position could be making an underlying problem worse.

Could try some core exercises/pilates type thing before. Ie contracting the Transverse Adominius while doing various movements. Also do sit up.

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

I do have tight ITBs, that's for sure, but the hamstring pain is on the inside of the leg (and so high up). I get the knee pain at the same time, so have always assumed it was related.

druidh - I think this seems more likely, given that it doesn't seem to discriminate between my states of fitness/amount of riding I'm doing. I also sued to get it (to a lesser extent) on the track - rarely got out of the saddle then.

Hmm.

Posted 7 months ago #
scu98rkr - Member

When you say high up.

Are you actually describing pain basically on one side off your lower bum crack ? but are too polite to say.

This is likely sciatic pain.

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

OK. Some more psts since I responded to onion and djaustin.

Explanation for figure of 4 stretches?

Not sure it's sciatica, as I'm still feeling it in the hamstrings (or whatever is sore) today - site of soreness is just down leg from sitbones.

Posted 7 months ago #
DenDennis - Member

Explanation for figure of 4 stretches?

google is your friend.... try different height positions of the non-bent leg too to fine-tune the area targeted

Posted 7 months ago #
scu98rkr - Member

Problems with sciatic nerve can make hamstring tight too.

Not sure it's sciatica, as I'm still feeling it in the hamstrings (or whatever is sore) today - site of soreness is just down leg from sitbones.

But does it actually feel like there is anything wrong there ? Ie if you prod it does it hurt more. Do you think the hamstring muscle or the tendon that connects it is actually damaged ?

If you prod it and it does nt hurt more it might suggest the problem is else where.

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

Yeah, I had googled it. What I meant was - what's the explanation for it helping this?

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

But does it actually feel like there is anything wrong there ?

In that, when I prod it, it's sore. It does feel like soft tissue damage-type pain now (suggesting it is that at least), but the pain immediately after getting off the bike isn't like that.

EDIT:
Do you think the hamstring muscle or the tendon that connects it is actually damaged ?

I guess I do. Not sure why it should come on at same time as (as they may not be related) simultaneous knee pain.

Posted 7 months ago #
scu98rkr - Member

figure of 4 streches, strech the piriformis muscle. In some people the sciatic nerve passes through the piriformis muscle. If it gets too tight it can cause pain futher down the leg.

Ie reffered sciatic pain.

And this is a good place to start but the sciatic nerve may be being affecting in other parts of the pelvis/lower back so a complete program of core exercies/streches would be advisible.

Posted 7 months ago #
scu98rkr - Member

well you asked for advice. Based on my previous experiences. Im guessing its not actually a hamstring problem, but a core stability issue.

You suggest otherwise so go to the pyhsio and see what they say.

If it really is JUST a hamstring problem all you need to do is rest. But seeing as there is knee pain as well and the injury see to be somewhat amorphous with out a specific injury that unlikely.

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

Im guessing its not actually a hamstring problem, but a core stability issue.

Can you expand? I certainly would think that my core stability is pretty poor - too much slouching behind a desk.

If it really is just a hamstring problem all you need to do is rest.

Normally, it's gone after a few mins. Only last night has caused any lingering soreness.

I'm intrigued by the sciatica suggestion - tell me, does that ever cause you a feeling of muscular weakness in one (or both) leg(s)?

Posted 7 months ago #
scu98rkr - Member

I think you need to go to a physio really or do a lot of reading online.

I dont think I can help anymore.

Basically Im just suggesting as some point as the sciatic nerve passes to your legs something affects it.

This could be piriformus, back, sacroilliac, anything and it may or may not effect you legs in many ways.

Its not so much how you sit at work.

Its just that some of the muscle which are meant to help support our pelvis and back might or weakened or you might not be activating them leading to less stability in your core.

It may be you need to do some exercise make sure these muscles are used.

some people use them by default and some people dont and some people stop using them as they get older.

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

I dont think I can help anymore.

You've helped loads. Thank you.

I'll read into it, but there's definitely something in it beyond just me having a position that's too stationary on the bike.

Cheers.

Posted 7 months ago #
djaustin - Member

My money is still on ITB. I get pain on the outside of my knee AND the upper thigh around the hip (obviously those are the points of attachment). Rest, ice and then some stretches.

Posted 7 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

As above - I'd get a physio who can assess what's wrong and recommend a course of action to remedy it.

If you've been off the bike a lot you don't want to **** up your return to riding and end up off the bike some more.

Posted 7 months ago #
ourmaninthenorth - Member

If you've been off the bike a lot you don't want to **** up your return to riding and end up off the bike some more.

True dat. It's been a bit of a disappointing eye opener to find out that the strength and fitness I once had has all but evaporated, just leaving memories of rolling along at 20mph all day....

Worse is the loss of time now that I've become a parent and moved too far to commute regularly. I. Miss. Riding. Bikes...!

Posted 7 months ago #
Surrounded By Zulus - Member

Early onset arthritis.

Posted 7 months ago #

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