One sided leg numbness

[westtexas]

Hi all,

I did a forum search this time before posting and was unable to come up with an answer to my question. And when you do a google search, it seems to only come up with male-specific numbness problems.

For the past couple of rides, my left leg has been falling asleep. The first time it happened, it was after about 35 miles. It doesn't tingle or gradually fall asleep, it's more like all of a sudden I realize I have no feeling on the left side. It's not painful, mostly just alarming. It happened initially on a test-ride bike and I chalked it up to the seat being too high (stupid wedge shaped seat posts). However, it happened last night on my ride about 7 miles in and it was so bad I had to get off the bike and sit down. It took a good 5 minutes before I had any feeling and it really freaked me out. On the way home, I had no problems.

I have tried changing my shorts between my tri chamois and the thick PI chamois and it doesn't seem to affect it. My seat height on my bike has not changed and the saddle itself is level. My bike has been professionally fitted and I have had not a single day of pain or aches since until now with this leg numbness thing. And it's only one leg. My right leg is completely unaffected.

I have 105 pedals and have some kind of road shoe by Specialized that is very stiff, so I don't think it's a shoe thing.

Essentially, nothing has changed about my riding (except I've been doing a lot more of it) or my bike and now my left leg falls asleep.

Suggestions? Thanks.

[Brandi]

You must be pinching a nerve. I would not worry to much about it. There is a nerve that runs .......hmmmm how to describe without getting too graphic? Ok runs along your pelvic bone on either side. Your seat might need to be changed to maybe slightly softer, adjust the seat hear and there. And it probably doesn't bother you right away because things take a bit to get heated up and swell up. Does that make since to you? I would try for now moving around a bit on the longer rides till you can get it figured out. I don't know if getting a thicker short would help? But this might be a matter of elimination. Good luck let me know if you do get it figured out.

[Rchan]

Whole leg? Portion of your leg? Have you had back problems? If numbness is on your thigh, sometimes the waistband being tight can press on a nerve. If you note any weakness, or numbness does not improve with a change of position, you need to see a Dr.

[Brandi]

You say nothing has changed.....but there must be something. Try maybe taking an aspirin before you ride just to see if it keeps any swelling down. I have a nerve is my foot that makes it go numb when I ride due to swelling. That is why I suggest the aspirin.

[KnottedYet]

Something may be wrong at your spine.

It's not your shorts, your pedals, or your saddle. They don't make the entire leg go numb. Even if somehow you were managing to compress your sciatic nerve, it would warn you, not just abruptly numb the leg.

Please go to the doctor.