Fit issues (any ideas)? UPDATE - I'm fixed.

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mdeth1313
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Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:38 am
Location: Dutchess County, NY

by mdeth1313

I'm at a loss. I'm to the point that I'm ready to give up cycling. Been to an orthopedist, chirpractor and 2 fitters. Had x-rays & an MRI done and nothing shows up, but I get terrible pain around my right hip when riding. It seems to be stemming from the glute med and min.

All started about 7 years ago (when I switched from m2racer pedals to time). Over the years it got worse. First fitter sucked- changed out a bunch of my equipment but did nothing related to my body. Didn't help. Last year (around this time) I went to the orthopedist- got a cortisone shot and then went to a different fitter who picked up on a leg length discrepancy, put a 3 mm shim on the left leg and slid that cleat back so the offset was 3-5mm. This was after the cortisone shot. Had a great season riding. Over the winter the pain came back and I've been trying to deal w/ it ever since. Went back to the fitter who made some adjustments, but I still have the pain. At one point it got so bad I went back to the orthopedist and the MRI was done. He gave me Medrol for the pain, which worked for about a week, but the MRI showed nothing. I've been in contact w/ the fitter, but nothing is working. When I get out of the saddle (standing) and pedal I have no pain and the pain I feel when sitting goes away (until I sit back down).

I also stretch like crazy, use a lacrosse ball to massage the glutes and lower back and do other specific stretches and exercises specific to my core.

Anyone ever have or see anything like this?
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WMW
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by WMW

No accidents that may have contributed?

My left leg is shorter by almost 2cm or my pelvis is twisted... not sure which. Anyway, the difference is all in the upper leg, and to partially correct it I needed a shorter crank on that side. Only 5mm but it helps. Plus the cleat is 5mm farther forward on that foot. I tried a 5mm spacer also, but prefer not having it.

But by far the biggest benefit was posture. Relaxing my back. Try forcing yourself to pedal with your lower back relaxed, all the time.
formerly rruff...

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hasbeen
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by hasbeen

Ive had pain that circled around my hip upper leg along with all kinds of other pains associated with my left leg (shorter one). The hip issues are the hardest to sort in my experience.
Does your pedal have float? 3mm should be max for a properly adjusted cleat.
You said short leg cleat was moved back, I hope you meant forward. The long leg cleat may need to be moved back.
Just some ideas. It would be sad if we lost you mdeth so lets get this sorted!
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btompkins0112 wrote:
It has the H2 geo......one step racier than a hybrid bike

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CBJ
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by CBJ

Why not see a good physical therapist that understand cycling who can make sure you do the right strength and stretch exercises. I have had really good results that way.

mdeth1313
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Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:38 am
Location: Dutchess County, NY

by mdeth1313

Meant forward- foot back.
@CBJ- finding one that understands cycling is the problem
Speedplay is the devil!

spud
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by spud

pure spitballing here -

I assume bursitis has been ruled out. If not, the only thing that will cure it is rest.

I've had piriformis syndrome periodically, the pain was more in gluteus max, and down into my hamstring. In that situation, aggressive stretching only made it worse. What made it better was anti inflammatories and rest. My piriformis first occurred after a winter of lifting, never had a problem in my prior 30 years of riding. The fact that the pain goes away when you stand might indicate that flexion between the thigh and the trunk is a key to the problem.

You might consider trying a recumbent until your issue gets sorted.

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CBJ
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by CBJ

mdeth1313 wrote:Meant forward- foot back.
@CBJ- finding one that understands cycling is the problem


I am sure I had to look for a long time but got lucky and found one that does tons of road riding. Maybe ask around in the local bike shops or ask some of the good teams in your area.

mr4fox
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Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 2:01 pm

by mr4fox

i had something that sounds similar but might have been slightly more posterior than yours. Pain and a chonic inflammation in my Glut med and max and extended down the proximal third of my femur. it was inflammation in Glut Max and med and probably some bursitis. It started november 2013 when i started training more and more on the indoor trainer.

Any way had a Retul bike fit done in mallorca in December. amongst other things he lowered my saddle by (i think) almost 2 cm. felt weird to start but over the 2 weeks i was training there it just got better and better even though my training volume spiked up massively for those 2 weeks. suddenly a few weeks later,in Jan on the indoor trainer, the pain started to come back. out of frustration i ripped off my new Bont shoes that id started using in October and put on my old beaten up Sidis. remarkably the pain started to ease while i finished my workout. over the following couple months i tested the Bonts a couple times. both times the pain started to come back. but only on the indoor trainer.

Im convinced the angle or shape of the sole of the Bonts combined with the more static nature of training indoors changes the mechanics in my foot and lower limb just enough to cause some instability at the foot and irritation further up the chain. I have had a previous lumbar prolapse and nerve damage in my lower leg (99% healed though) which may have contributed to my problem. I tried correcting with innersoles and playing with various forefoot and rear foot wedges but no luck. in the end i ended up buying some sexy fluro yellow Sidi wires. trained inside loads last winter with no problem.

dont know if this helps you but maybe trying a different type of shoe or lowering your saddle is worth a shot before you pack it all in and quit.

Good luck!!

ghisallo2003
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Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 7:10 pm

by ghisallo2003

My hip/back issue was resolved by a top cycling masseuse who could understand from my muscles what was going on. I had previously tried a professional fitting (which made things worse, in fact and my wallet lighter), but around 6 1 hour sessions at weekly intervals did sort me out and I have been on top of it since.

Don't give up.

mdeth1313
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Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:38 am
Location: Dutchess County, NY

by mdeth1313

Thanks for the replies. Haven't given up yet. My chiropractor is going to look over my x-rays and MRI tomorrow morning and I just got off the phone with him because my wife (who is an optometrist) was doing some research and found Maigne's Syndrome, which shows all the areas where I'm experiencing pain, so the chiropractor is going to do some research tonight so he's ready for me tomorrow morning.

If not my wife mentioned I could go into NYC as there are hospitals specifically for sports injuries. Since it's the summer (and I'm not working) that's also a possibility.
Speedplay is the devil!

mdeth1313
Posts: 2066
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:38 am
Location: Dutchess County, NY

by mdeth1313

UPDATE:
I saw my chiropractor today, who went over my MRI and he thinks he found the problem- it's in my L4/L5 Far Lateral Recess. Looks like that's where my issues are. So I have to see a specialist who can look at my MRI and figure out what's next. I'm more relieved than anything else at this point-- whatever I need to do (PT or steroid shot) there's a reason for all of this.
Speedplay is the devil!

hasbeen
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Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:17 pm

by hasbeen

always a relief to know! good job getting them to look again and all the best.
Casati Vola SLi and Dolan Preffisio
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=108931" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"
btompkins0112 wrote:
It has the H2 geo......one step racier than a hybrid bike

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TMz
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Joined: Sat May 09, 2015 8:52 am

by TMz

Have you had your arches looked at at all along the way?

I've had ongoing issues with my left hip/knee for some time (around 3 years), have tried various approaches/physios but not been of great avail, sometimes seeing an improvement following one treatment but then regressing again, very frustrating)

Recently seen one of our NHS physios in the UK following a motorbike accident, he picked up that my arches are collapsed, left worse than right (think right was ok previously but it was this foot that was crushed in the mbike accident)

I'm being referred on to orthotics to assess the arches/gait properly, but it's highly likely this could have been the base of a misalignment and the root of the ongoing issue.

in the meantime I'm working on arch strengthening exercises in the hope they help.

Best of luck finding a fix!

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by Valbrona


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Mr.Gib
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by Mr.Gib

Late to the party but I was going to say spinal issue. The are more advanced scanning methods that could be used. I had a 3D scan of my spine that included an injection of dye in advance.
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