Do the conditions of your hamstrings affect your cycling?

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If your hamstrings start to get tight - you need to do something about it. I used to commute daily and ignored my ever tightening hamstrings - I then started to get ass pain - which quickly became so unbearable I couldn't ride. Then all hell broke loose ! - basically the hamstring got so tight it was tearing from the insertion point of my pelvis - the problem is this isn't a well known issue - so I was told to stretch my hamstrings - this made it worse. Finally I got to see someone who specialised in hamstring pathology - he diagnosed me with high hamstring tendinopathy - the rehab is eccentric hamstring stretches and training - he forewarned it would be around a year before I got results - it took 18 months ! - in total I was off the bike for 3 years !

3 x 3 Stretches, holding for 30 seconds after each ride as a starting point. - But don't ignore it.
I am regular at a yoga class now - which really helps
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
The body will adapt to the use you put it to and no more. If you take up cycling with no prior experience or similar range of movement your body will need time to adapt. There is no doubt that improving your mobility through stretching will help in this adaption but don't limit that stretching to your hamstrings as there are a number of muscles in your legs that come into play when cycling, muscles in other parts of your body too. Read up or view on You Tube and ease into it gently after you have warmed up.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
What is the point, you never see any top athletes stretch. Oops!

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screenman

Legendary Member
Top athletes never suffer injuries either ... :whistle:


Most highly tuned engines will fail at some point. I wonder how many more injuries would they get if they did not take preventative measures?

I know I do not do enough stretching, I also know I benefit from stretching.
 
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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Most highly tuned engines will fail at some point. I wonder how many more injuries would they get if they did not take preventative measures?

I know I do not do enough stretching, I also know I benefit from stretching.
The thing is, you would never get a top athlete to agree to change what they are doing to see if they can pick up more injuries, so we will never know for sure!

I suppose the best you could hope for is to enlist some former top athletes who aim to keep pretty fit after retirement and test them.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
The thing is, you would never get a top athlete to agree to change what they are doing to see if they can pick up more injuries, so we will never know for sure!

I suppose the best you could hope for is to enlist some former top athletes who aim to keep pretty fit after retirement and test them.

Do you not feel the benefits of say a 30 minute stretch each day? I can feel just coming down the stairs in the morning if I stretched or not the night before.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Do you not feel the benefits of say a 30 minute stretch each day? I can feel just coming down the stairs in the morning if I stretched or not the night before.
I have never managed to even get myself to do 30 seconds a day! :laugh:

I have about 4 or 5 books on the subject and think that stretching probably would do me good but I don't seem to be able to get into it.

Cycling is about the only interest that I have been able to stick to over the years. Everything else just gets forgotten about.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
I must admit it seems to take a bit more self discipline than pedalling does, but I know I get a good return when I do it.
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
I have never managed to even get myself to do 30 seconds a day! :laugh:

I have about 4 or 5 books on the subject and think that stretching probably would do me good but I don't seem to be able to get into it.

Cycling is about the only interest that I have been able to stick to over the years. Everything else just gets forgotten about.

Colin - put those books on the bottom shelf read a page after every ride - bingo.
 
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