Getting My Leg Over….

Following the usual “What would STW Do?” algorithm i am posting a clickbait headline, which is a bit related to my issue…..

I am rehabing from a Mini induced tibial plateau fracture….and back on the bike, have done turbos through Jan, and now getting out on the downs and Stanmer (20 miles today, and regretting not putting something winter on the back)

Doing some single leg drills, also when trying to pedal out of the saddle, i realise I have an issue getting the dodge leg over top dead centre – i just have no ability/muscle to start straightening the leg. I can get away with it when the good leg is helping me get over top dead center, but worried the dodge leg is missing out.

What exercises can i do to help get that action back? I am in the gym doing leg press and leg extns (very weak on the leg extns). Does anyone have any bonzer ideas of exercises to target a specific muscle? Or do i just keep doing the single leg turbo minutes, or buy me an eccentric chain ring.

Thanks All

Bump….

Are you self-rehabbing the injury, or getting some decent advice? If not, a couple of sessions with a sports physio to assess your muscle imbalance/weakness would seem like a good starting point.

Thanks, bit of both, have been working w an NHS physio which was addressing some more basic rehab initially. Next appointment a couple of weeks away, so wanted to check in on this in the interim as hadn’t been an issue until I started riding again. If anyone has some ideas I can work on before my next appt.

So you lack power at the very top of the pedal stroke? Various stuff is getting activated at that point. Weak glutes might be the culprit, or it could just be down to the quads if leg extensions are weak.

I’d still say a session with a dedicated sports/cycling physio would pick up on which bits are doing the work, and which bits are shirking it, and give you some exercises designed to correct whatever imbalance has developed.

I have the same injury. I’m 2 years in now and just over 50 years old for reference. After doing the NHS Physio regime and some turbo work to get going I found the same issue.
Pedalling in the saddle was fine though I did find my good leg taking most of the strain which is why I guess you have been doing the singe leg drills. I was doing the same.
It took ages to get the bad leg over TDC when out the saddle. It just too time and plenty of trying to do it without too much load. Every time I went out it was light pedaly warm up in the saddle for 10 – 20 minutes just to get the blood through it and warm it all up properly. All climbing in the saddle in ‘sit and spin’ mode but always spent time trying to pedal out the saddle once warmed up. Again just light. I have to say that I can now crank it up climbs out the saddle, no way like before but its coming back.
I found once you think you are there, it doesn’t take much to make you realise that you are not there yet. It can be demoralising for sure but it does just take time. Keep doing the physio as recommended and just keep it going on the bike without expecting too much.

Thanks @martinhutch – that’s a great graphic. I’m weak 10/11 o’clock to 12. So it’s probably some of that weakness in the different quads, so I’ll have to work on extensions and build that up.
Sitting on the turbo just now to check more closely what’s going on, I am also getting some hip adductor sensation (iliopsoas?), so i should probably work on those and my core too. And perhaps a little bit of tibialis to lift the toe and ball of my foot a little more cleanly.

I’ll see my NHS physio and see if they can target those specifics, and if not will talk to a cycling physio.

Thanks @jefwachowchow – glad to hear your experience and that it goes away with time and attention. I’m 57 and about 8 months in, so just starting to work on that piece of the puzzle, I’ll have to be a little bit patient.

Doing an image search on the graphic turned up these two useful links

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-primary-muscles-used-for-cycling-and-how-to-train-them/

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-best-strength-exercises-for-cyclists/

Will need to talk in detail w my physio

They look really useful Susepic.

I do the front squats regular, without weights mind. I don’t think I will ever be able to do that one leg dead lift on the broken leg with or without weights. Some great things to work with though.

Out of interest, are you still under the umbrella of the NHS physio or have you looked to seek out some private after care?

Still with the NHS at the moment @jefwachowchow. Waiting to see at next appointment how they can start addressing more specific cycling issues, and will look at potentially changing at that point.