tenrec

I turned 64 at the beginning of August. Over the last 25 years, I've ridden about 40,000 miles on three different bikes. I've always had some hand numbness but no other major problems. I finally had a bike fitting to address a number of comfort issues I'd been having. This was on June 19th, with a followup visit on August 7th to fine-tune the results. Since the fittings began, I logged a total of 741 miles on my two bikes.

In August I rode 23 out of the 31 days, including a 16-day period at the end of the month in which I rode every day. This is probably the most consecutive days of riding I've ever done. Near the end of this period I developed pain in my right hip which extended down the inside of my leg. It didn't bother me while I was riding, but hurt while I was lying in bed and made it difficult to sleep.

At this point I haven't ridden for 11 days. The pain has subsided a bit but hasn't gone away. Most pains I get from muscular strain go away after 3 - 4 days. This seems different, and I'm worried that it will keep from riding in the future. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this? How did it play out?

P.S. No, I haven't gone to a doctor yet. I've been waiting to see if it was just something that would go away by itself -- so far, no.

George

Once you heal up, I would take it easy for a while. it sounds like you’re hitting it to hard too me.

Trakhak

Eleven days; pain hasn't subsided; several possible explanations, and not all of them benign. See a doctor.

10 Wheels

Time for a Doc. Xray and MRI if needed.

pdlamb

I'm not so dour on this occasion. Sounds to me like an overuse injury, so I'd suggest a few short, easy rides with a day off in between. Stretch every day, that might help. If it's still hurting after a couple more weeks, call the doctor (but keep riding until s/he says to stop).

Iride01 

If I had a pain that was keeping me off the bike that long, I'd have already seen a doctor. I really think you should too. Probably a orthopedic surgeon if your insurance lets you go directly to specialists.

Then I'd also go back to the fitter and discuss if something about the fit might have contributed.

tenrec

I like the way you think! My wife is actually a doctor, and she's recommended not riding for now, but also not going to an orthopedist immediately. I'm going to ask her what she thinks of your suggestion.

Inusuit

The cobbler's children have no shoes.

skidder

Could be a multitude of things. Resting it for 11 days and no improvement I'd see a doctor. Could be orthopaedic, might also be nerve related, possibly pressure on the sciatic nerve running down your leg or even start of a 'pinch'. Stretching things out might help, but see a doctor other than your wife to get things checked out.

JohnDThompson 

See a doctor. To me, as a non-MD health care professional, I'd suspect nerve impingement, perhaps from collapsing vertebral discs. Chances are, this can be addressed. It may be something as simple as physical therapy, or a steroid injection, or, ultimately, surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve. But do get it checked.

Polaris OBark

This is my wife's primary symptom for hip arthritis (several years into it at age 61). A simple X-ray is diagnostic. Anti-inflammation drugs can help if you can tolerate them. She is now looking at a hip replacement.

Polaris OBark

Oh, and this is why you don't want an internet consensus diagnosis.

OldTryGuy

I've given *LIKES* to those mentioning seeing a Dr. because too many guys I know did not when pains were not letting up in a timely manner and the end results often were *should have done something sooner.*

MinnMan

Could be a lot of things.
It could be tendinopathy, which takes a long time to heal and probably would be helped by PT.
It could be the onset of something arthritic. If so, you might need an injection or a new hip. And afterwards, you'd be back to riding.
Or it might be pudendal neuralgia, which I have. The symptoms sound similar. It is a long-term aggravation.

The neurologist I have worked with had a simple solution - "stop riding your bicycle - forever". He also wanted me to take Gabapentin.
For him, having me sitting on the couch, drugged up and free of the neuralgia would be the "cure".


NO. Negatory. Not going to happen.
For me, it would be a death sentence. Without riding, my physical and mental health would diminish beyond what I could bear.

The neuralgia comes and goes. I keep riding. When it is bad, I take Tylenol and Naproxen and I ride. When it is not bad, I enjoy myself and know that it is coming back at some point.

Don't listen to doctors who tell you you have to stop riding. F that.

Carbonfiberboy 

https://www.spine-health.com/conditi...atica-symptoms
https://www.spine-health.com/conditi...spinal-segment

My fix for sciatica has been not riding the bike and instead, walking. And walking with a particular motion, rolling each hip in a circle as that foot comes off the ground. That moves the base of the spine around and seems to get it to stop. When I've done this the first mile has been painful, then less so. For me, it took about 10 days for the symptoms to go away. Since then I've walked a few miles once or twice a week. Symptoms haven't returned. We cyclists often don't give enough attention to back strength and flexibility. I also work out at a gym, full-depth squats and a back extension machine are my two main back exercises. I used to think that squats can damage one's back. However squatting, using good form, seems to do the opposite or it has for the past 25 years anyway.

Alan K

If the pain is persisting for many days, interfering with sleep, I should think you have no good reason to not see a competent physician, irrespective of the opinion poll here.

If besides pain, you start experiencing tingling, do see a physician quickly - a spine or neurology person. Once tingling begins, you have relatively limited time (about a month) before permanent damage to the pinched nerve occurs.

tenrec

I thank everyone who replied and showed concern. I did go to see an orthopedist who specializes in hips. My X-rays did not show arthritis or any degenerative condition of the hip joint. He diagnosed bursitis and prescribed antiinflammatory medication and physical therapy. Now, a couple of months later, I can report that the medication didn't really do anything. The physical therapy seems to help to some degree. The pain is never gone completely but it certainly does not interfere with sleeping or any other activity. I have returned to riding my bike, although only about half as often and half the distance I did before. It doesn't cause any pain. I did notice on one day when I did a 12-mile bike ride followed by a walk of about 13,000 steps that the pain came back. The good news is that it did not persist and was gone the next day. I plan on gradually increasing my ride times and distances while continuing the physical therapy and see how it goes. Thank you all again.

Kai Winters

wondering if you do a daily stretching program?
if not, you might want to consider starting one and if you are or have gone to PT you can ask them for a few basic stretches before going overboard and doing more harm than good.
i stretch daily before and after riding. before for about 5ish minutes and after for 15ish as well as going to yoga twice a week.
at 68 i want all my fiddly bits working as well as they can for as long as they can...

tenrec

I have never stretched before or after riding. I discussed this with the physical therapists and they have recommended some relevant stretching exercises. It remains to be seen if I'm disciplined enough to do them on a daily basis!

john m flores 

Experts typically advise making fit adjustments in small increments and giving your body in time to adjust. Did the bike fit change your riding position dramatically? Logging the miles that you did with new bike position may be a contributing factor to your current issues.

rumrunn6

has the physical therapist got you on a foam roller? partially for fascial release?

Kai Winters

And there you go...don't take care of yourself and life will be less than pleasant but that is a you issue...since I don't have a monkey in this circus I don't really care...