Hip/Leg Pain

[colafreak]

I hope this is the best place for this post. I have been getting some hip/leg pain and I'm wondering what I might be able to do about it.

Looking at this website (http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... adence.htm) the muscle I'm getting most pain from is my "hip extensor". The pain is high on my butt muscle on the outside, specifically the meaty part about 6 inches below the point of the hip radiating a little way around the back. Judging by the charts I've seen, I would say it's either the "tensor fasciae latae" (most likely) or the "gluteus medius" or "illacus". Again, it's the really meaty part on the side-to-back of the leg, when you tense your butt, it's above the part that goes inward like a dent.

OK, now hopefully I've explained the muscle I'm talking about. The pain I get is only when I'm riding hard, it could still be a fit issue but it's not like say joint pain. It's the same pain you get all over when you're really pushing, only this muscle comes on early and strong and it's really holding me back.

If the flammerouge site is to be believed, this muscle is exercised at the top of the stroke. Therefore, my questions are:

1. Why would I be working this muscle harder than any other?
2. What can I change about my cleat position, seat position and potentially, handlebar position that would reduce the stress on this muscle?
3. Are eliptical chainrings likely to help?

[colafreak]

PS. If there are any training exercises that I can do to strengthen this muscle or change my pedal stroke, please let me know too.

[trailgumby]

I have similar issues (sacroilliac joint pain) and am working through them with a manipulative physio recommeded to me by Steve Hogg.

In my case it's a neuromuscular issue - weak core and pelvic floor muscles from years of sitting on my butt in front of a minitor leading to pelvic instability, and a historically dominant right side that I'm overcompensating for by dropping and rolling forward the left hip when extending the left leg. My natural pedalling action is knees-inward and I tend to intermittently brush the top tube, so my action and muscle recruitment is quite frankly all over the place.

So no amount of tweaking bike posiiton or tricky chainrings will fix this issue for me. I suggest if you are getting your pain on one side consistently you may be in the same boat.

I need to strengthen the left side glute and hip flexors, pelvic floor muscles and learn to fire the correct muscles in the correct sequence, while making sure that I leave everything else relaxed. I'm finding that learning curve very difficult, turning off muscles that shouldn't be involved is especially hard.

A session last week with the physio guided by real-time ultrasound gave me the required visual feedback to get a start on getting the correct interior structural muscles on the left side recruited.

After a lengthy analysis by the physio I have exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor and improving the endurance of the muscles that stabilise the pelvis and control the leg action.

They are quite torturous at the moment , but I did notice on the weekend that long climbing efforts are more tolerable than they were a few weeks ago so long as I focus on keeping the knees lined up between second toe and hip.

Still a ways to go though.

Would people be interested in my posting progress on this in series of articles/blogs?

[moreegolfer]

I, for one, would read it as I get recurrent pain on my left hip too.

[colafreak]

Holy cow! How much does that cost!!?!?!??

I would definitely be interested. I'm not sure if it's the same problem or not since I don't have joint pain, but still very interested.