Numb Hip Area!

Hi,

I am not an expert by any means on soft tissue injuries and by all means, go see a licensed health practitioner if the problems persists (like a D.O. or M.D., for instance). (O.k., that's my disclaimer!)

I am a massage therapist (6 years) and a cyclist (9 years). But, I myself have never had an injury like the one you describe. I have worked on many cyclists, other athletes (football, soccer, triathletes) and haven't seen or palpated an injury like the one you described. But, I can give you some ideas to consider.

I am sure by now you have tried ice, etc. and other methods of self-care. I am hoping the injury didn't repeat itself or stay with you very long. If so, like I said, please get it checked out just to be sure. There are so many factors to consider: bike fit, saddle, your pedal stroke, your past injuries, your own personal biomechanics, joint health, etc.

I am curious to know if you have any gluteal (the butt) muscle tension or low back tension? I think many of the muscles on the anterior/front of the leg (quadriceps, have their nerve origins in the lumbosacral area (low back and lower/sacrum). Many of the nerves from the lumbosacral area have branches that wrap around to the front leg muscles. Sitting on your gluteal muscles for a long time, even with breaks from time to time can put stress on the body (and, BTW, they have a similar nerve source as the quadriceps do).

I am wondering if something may have been irritated from your ride? It sounds like you did a decent amount of time on the bike. I notice after 50 miles, I like many others, have a tendency to go numb in many places, BTW, so I am not surprised. :)

On cyclists, the iliopsoas muscles too (the strongest of the hip flexors, a very deep muscle, deep inside the abdomen) can become tight as well...Many of us get tight there from a desk job, for example because it's always shortened or contracted, similar to cycling.

One thing you probably already know about is stretching. I used to get away with not stretching, but now, it's a necessity. I always do a brief warm-up, stretch my quads, hamstrings, gluteal muscles, hips, low back, indirect psoas stretches...pretty much the entire body. Even if you think you know how to stretch, it's always good to get some instruction from a professional like an athletic trainer, physical therapist, personal trainer, yoga teacher, etc. I turned to yoga out of necessity and to balance out all the flexion I was doing as a cyclist.

What I have found with the body is the following: It's all connected. Sometimes, you can feel the pain in one area, but it's really originating from a different site (referred pain). I think it's necessary to get regular "tune-ups" if you will once you start riding long periods of time. For instance, I also get regular bodywork (at least 1-2 massages per month, along with other forms of work).

Also, drinking water is vital to connective tissue in the body. (It's the tissue that holds everything in the body together and has a very high water content). I notice many of my aches in pains in my body are diminished after I drink water...kinda interesting. Just an idea to consider.

I hope this information helps. Like I said, I am not an expert by no means, so please consult a doctor if the pain persists or self-help doesn't help. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask (I may not have all the answers, but I may know people who may).

I hope it is feeling better...

Sincerely,

Lisa