How to locate your cycling aches and pains...

[Kirstie]

...go for a RUN!

Ow ow ow!

Psoas, hip flexors, lower back....all really tight

All nicely stretched out now though.

Not run since March and I sure as hell can tell!

 

[Archie_tect]

I just sleep on it and find out which bits hurt in the morning.

 

[Breedon]

i havent done any running for months, tried to run up to the top of our road i was knackerd half way up, couldnt belive it.

Might start it up again when i've done my over time

 

[Browser]

My psoas and lower back were always tight anyway so I can't really notice any difference.
I went to a dance rehearsal for my amdrams group last night, and was pleased that, despite leaking out my usual copious amounts of sweat, I didn't feel puffed at any point.
Getting onto the bike this morning for the work run, however, revealed stiff bits all over the place (except that one you filthy lot !).
What with cycling to work, sculling when I get the chance and kamikaze (by my standards and abilities) dancing, by the time we stage the show next March I ought to either be pretty fit or dead, one of the two

 

[Brahan]

This has just made want to go for a run. I think I'll do a few miles over the weekend to see how I feel.

 

[jimboalee]

Not many leisure cyclists use their Psoas Major and Iliacus when riding, so I'm not surprised they hurt when a sudden change to running is made.

 

[Kirstie]

The psoas is one of the main cycling muscles - well that's what I've read. I get mine worked on by my osteopath fairly regularly and, apart from it being quite a weird experience, I experience much less tension in the lower back when they are not tight.

 

[jimboalee]

The psoas is one of the main cycling muscles - well that's what I've read. I get mine worked on by my osteopath fairly regularly and, apart from it being quite a weird experience, I experience much less tension in the lower back when they are not tight.

Are you sure you've got the correct muscle group?

The Iliopsoas is the name of both these muscles because they conjoin on the front of the femur.
The psoas major is attached to all the lumbar vertebrae. With the Iliacus, they flex the femur forward with relation to the pelvis and spine.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb6oNTkqxSc&feature=related

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JovY7kZCJc8&feature=related


Have a watch of these.

 

[Fiona N]

Not many leisure cyclists use their Psoas Major and Iliacus when riding, so I'm not surprised they hurt when a sudden change to running is made.

Of course, if you ride a recumbent, you have superbly developed hip flexors as they are used to lift the near horizontal, extended leg in a way not really comparable with riding an upright.
It's the main reason why fit upright riders jump on a recumbent and ride hard for about 30 minutes before the pain get to them

If you have flexible hamstrings, Kirstie, you'll need to be especially careful keeping the hip flexors loose too otherwise (as you probably have found out) they can cause lower back discomfort. My physio says it's a common for women with flexible hamstrings getting sacro-illiac problems (rather than lumbar spine disc problems) due to tight hip flexors pulling the pelvis out of alignment.

 

[jimboalee]

Of course, if you ride a recumbent, you have superbly developed hip flexors as they are used to lift the near horizontal, extended leg in a way not really comparable with riding an upright.
It's the main reason why fit upright riders jump on a recumbent and ride hard for about 30 minutes before the pain get to them

If you have flexible hamstrings, Kirstie, you'll need to be especially careful keeping the hip flexors loose too otherwise (as you probably have found out) they can cause lower back discomfort. My physio says it's a common for women with flexible hamstrings getting sacro-illiac problems (rather than lumbar spine disc problems) due to tight hip flexors pulling the pelvis out of alignment.

Yup.

A newbie recumbent HPV rider will naturally want to push the pedal just like a diamond rider.
After a while, they learn that the 'complete' exercise is a full circle of torque.

I had the honour of borrowing a Windcheetah Speedy back in the nineties before MIRA converted it to electric drive. That trained my hams and leg flexors
Now I keep them up to scratch by powering round the full circle on my diamond frame bikes.

While I've been typing this, I've gone to find what's available from windcheetah,,,,

The HyperSport retails at £3375.... Hmmmmm....

 

[jimboalee]

The absolute BOSTIN' thing about that Windcheetah was....

you could repair a puncture without taking the wheel out

 

[Kirstie]

Are you sure you've got the correct muscle group?

Yes I mean psoas major and minor, as per the diagram.

 

[Browser]

I get mine worked on by my osteopath fairly regularly and, apart from it being quite a weird experience

THis innocent statement just goes to demonstrate the guttural level my thoughts tend to run in, as I couldn't help an "oo-er missus" escaping from my brain and rattling around my head when I read it