Pain in my thighs

12-03.-2006, 12:23 PM	#1
jdb8933 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Pain in my thighs I took up riding last summer and was riding about 80-150 miles per week. At the end of June I started to have burning pain in the backs of both thighs. Any pressure on the backs of my thighs was painful. Being on the bike did not hurt so I kept on riding. After seeing several doctors, I was sent to a neurologist who did a CAT scan and an MRI, but after 3 months found no damage and could not explain it. When I told him I rode the bike 4 or 5 hours at a time, he immediately said it was from the seat putting pressure on my nerves and that I had to stop riding until the pain went away. 8 months later I still have some pain (though to a much lesser degree), but I want to ride again. I have 2 questions: (1) Has anyone had a similar experience and what did you do? (2) What's the best seat I can get that will minimize the pressure on the nerves in my rear? I was looking at some Selle Italia gel flow seats, anyone have one or can suggest a better alternative?

12-03.-2006, 12:38 PM	#2
gclark8 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Perth (Basso), West Australia Posts: 3,515	Re: Pain in my thighs first question, Gender, m or f? Second, bike type, road, hybrid, mountain? Third, bar type, drops, flats, riser? Lots of options here. The forward half of the seat may be too wide but sounds like the seat is too high and you may be too far back on it, do you sit on the "bones" or "in" the seat? __________________ Cheers, George.

12-03.-2006, 12:47 PM	#3
jdb8933 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Re: Pain in my thighs male, late 30s, road bike, drop bars (but I spend most of my time on the hoods)

12-03.-2006, 12:48 PM	#4
jdb8933 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Re: Pain in my thighs not sure what you mean by "on the bones or in the seat." I did have to point the nose down a little to keep things from going numb.

12-03.-2006, 04:37 PM	#5
WarrenG Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,052	Re: Pain in my thighs A month or so of rest should have solved pretty much all issues not related to bike fit. So get the bike fit. I suggest you pay someone about $100 to do a proper bike fit. In the course of that ask them about your symptoms. Also discuss saddle choices.

13-03.-2006, 02:45 AM	#6
jdb8933 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Re: Pain in my thighs I guess it's not a fit issue then. I've been off the bike since last September and I still have pain.

13-03.-2006, 02:46 AM	#7
jdb8933 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Re: Pain in my thighs Anyone know a good bike fitter in the Detroit area?

13-03.-2006, 07:00 AM

WarrenG

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2003

Posts: 1,052

Re: Pain in my thighs

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdb8933

I guess it's not a fit issue then. I've been off the bike since last September and I still have pain.

I understood you to say that the pain only resumed once you started riding again.

Pain during the time between your last ride in September and when you started back riding? Then I doubt it's directly related to your bike and riding. I suggest you see some medical professionals. Perhaps there are some damages to ligaments, tendons, or very tight in those areas. Maybe a good physical therapist could help, and/or a chiropractor.

For fittings, here in NorCal we have someone who is a biomechanical engineer and bike racer and he's been very helpful for people with a variety of problems and ailments. He's with the UC Davis Sportsmedicine Dept. and maybe you can find someone similar near you.

The fit issues and saddle choices I mentioned previously could address nerve irritation issues. It's possible that your previous fit was so bad that it caused some damage and/or some problematic adaptions to that bad fit. A good bike fit person should see this right away.

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