Left hamstring burn

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CBRE
Posts: 219
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:37 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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by CBRE

About an hour into a hard ride im getting a bad burning/ache in my upper left hamstring, I thought it may be bike related but it happens both on the road and mountain bikes, my fit is good on both bikes. Only thing I can think of is a leg length differance, but would it be long or short in that leg to cause this?
Curt Brown

2016 Cannondale EVO Etap 13.8#'s
2012 Cannondale Supersix EVO etap 13.7#'s
2017 Cannondale SUPER X Force 16.0#'s
2016 Cannondale FatCad2 28.1#'s
2011 Cannondale Carbon Flash 1 17.9#'s

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CerveloBert
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Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA

by CerveloBert

I imagine that if it were because of leg length difference it would be the shorter side that is feeling the discomfort. The reasoning would be because your hamstring would compensate after over-extending the shorter leg.

CBRE
Posts: 219
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:37 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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by CBRE

CerveloBert wrote:I imagine that if it were because of leg length difference it would be the shorter side that is feeling the discomfort. The reasoning would be because your hamstring would compensate after over-extending the shorter leg.


Maybe I will try a small shim on the left leg then and see what happens
Curt Brown

2016 Cannondale EVO Etap 13.8#'s
2012 Cannondale Supersix EVO etap 13.7#'s
2017 Cannondale SUPER X Force 16.0#'s
2016 Cannondale FatCad2 28.1#'s
2011 Cannondale Carbon Flash 1 17.9#'s

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Getter
Posts: 848
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:30 am
Location: So Cal

by Getter

I kind of get the same thing. I happens to my left hamstring area also. Occurs mostly when I'm in my drops at high effort.

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MattSoutherden
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by MattSoutherden

It may be a real leg length difference, or it may be a functional difference due to dropping the right hip down and forward under load.
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drmutley
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:23 am

by drmutley

Or tightness in yr hamstring, lumbar spine, neural structures...
Try laying on floor with yr legs up the wall (ie hips at 90deg), and get someone to assess for any difference in leg length. If yr legs are of similar length then try dropping your saddle height a couple of mm at a time and assess any change...

CerveloBert
Posts: 284
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA

by CerveloBert

I did fail to mention this in the first reply, but the times I've seen people having hamstring issues they were almost always related to a previous injury. Instead of checking fit or any measurement on your bike or body, I'd check to see if there is a noticeable difference in flexibility between the two legs.

I personally have calf and hamstring issues on my right leg, and it's not a coincidence that it's the leg that I have injured previously - and the flexibility is severely compromised in comparison to my left leg as well. My right leg is also shorter than my left and my right foot also collapses considerably more than my left at the bottom of my pedal stroke as well. All these factors coupled with some climbing and I do get a burn sensation in my hamstring and it is extremely tense at those moments as well. Some foam rolling and regular stretching got this symptom to go away after about a month of consistent daily stretching.

drmutley
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:23 am

by drmutley

CerveloBert wrote:I did fail to mention this in the first reply, but the times I've seen people having hamstring issues they were almost always related to a previous injury. Instead of checking fit or any measurement on your bike or body, I'd check to see if there is a noticeable difference in flexibility between the two legs.

I personally have calf and hamstring issues on my right leg, and it's not a coincidence that it's the leg that I have injured previously - and the flexibility is severely compromised in comparison to my left leg as well. My right leg is also shorter than my left and my right foot also collapses considerably more than my left at the bottom of my pedal stroke as well. All these factors coupled with some climbing and I do get a burn sensation in my hamstring and it is extremely tense at those moments as well. Some foam rolling and regular stretching got this symptom to go away after about a month of consistent daily stretching.

+1
Good advice....

indigo
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Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 1:17 pm
Location: Geneva, Switzerland

by indigo

You say that your 'fit is good' ? Seems that any fitter would measure & identify leg-length discrepancies, yet you are not aware of this ?

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