Left hamstring burn
Moderator: Moderator Team
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
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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- Posts: 284
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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.
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
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
- MattSoutherden
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- Location: London
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.
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...
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...
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- Posts: 284
- Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:43 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
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.
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.
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....
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