LCL Pain

[Mr. Bloom]

OK, I rode tonight for the first time in three weeks since the temps were up to a hot 60 degrees!!

I did 20 miles. About 5 miles along, my LCL pain came back. The LCL is the ligament attaching to the top of the fibula (outside of legs at the top of the calf).

Prior research indicates that LCL injuries are rare, but will result from

• - repetitive motion aggravation (too many miles too quick - like the 250 miles I did in five days on vacation), or
  - pedal 'float' - which I understand to be shoes/clips being out of line

As I look down, my foot looks straight. Is pedal float a tilt in the foot where the ball of the foot is tilted, or is it a crooked foot on the pedal????

I've been criticized by this group for being a "masher". So, I'm being very conscious of it, but I now feel the pain is worse when I'm on a rapid cadence...so, it is possible that the repetitive motion at a high cadence is causing this???

I welcome thoughts on what I should do next (other than Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation that I'm already doing....

Thoughts?

[makbike]

Mr. Silver:

You might check out this website http://www.kybikerides.org/ It contains a lot of local information (for the Louisville area) but the "performance hints" section contains some useful health stuff. The webmaster is an avid cyclist as well as a well respected chiropractor in the Louisville area. I can't promise that he has a solution to your problem but it might be worth a look. Heck you can also check out a wide range of rides hosted by club members, some neat photos, etc.

Hope you get to feeling well soon.

[silver]

OK, I rode tonight for the first time in three weeks since the temps were up to a hot 60 degrees!!

I did 20 miles. About 5 miles along, my LCL pain came back. The LCL is the ligament attaching to the top of the fibula (outside of legs at the top of the calf).

Prior research indicates that LCL injuries are rare, but will result from

• - repetitive motion aggravation (too many miles too quick - like the 250 miles I did in five days on vacation), or
  - pedal 'float' - which I understand to be shoes/clips being out of line

As I look down, my foot looks straight. Is pedal float a tilt in the foot where the ball of the foot is tilted, or is it a crooked foot on the pedal????

I've been criticized by this group for being a "masher". So, I'm being very conscious of it, but I now feel the pain is worse when I'm on a rapid cadence...so, it is possible that the repetitive motion at a high cadence is causing this???

I welcome thoughts on what I should do next (other than Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation that I'm already doing....

Thoughts?

mr. sorry you are having this problem. i do want to point out however that we never "critisized" you for being a masher. we only pointed out the problems that might be associated with it, but recognized that some people are more comfortable with it than others. we don't critisize one another here *hugs*

[Triskeliongirl]

Sorry to hear you are still in pain. Probably your injury was caused by ramping up your miles too quickly. Indeed, now that you are injured, fast cadences may be painful, so you may need to back off unitl its healed and then start back gradually, with easy gears AND a slow cadence. The recommendation for faster cadences are to allow you to be in an easier gear, but if you were trying to spin faster without dropping your gearing, that may have also have caused the problem. Probably its best to consult a sports med type PT or orthopod.

[lovemybike]

This problem is such a aggrevation... I seem to have to same problem but it only appears 80-90 miles in to a century and last for the rest of the day and maybe the next. I did some research after it last happened, and found the same thing that you were talking about...it's basically from high milage on your knees. I did talk to an "older" more experienced rider in my group about it one day and he suggested that I allow my clips to float as much as I could stand. This allowed me to change the position of my knee throughout the ride. Seems to have helped. If the pain is still there, see a sports trainer PT or someone of the sort, just to be sure. Hopefully is nothing serious. Then you will know for sure nothing is injured and you can find a way around the pain.

[Mr. Bloom]

he suggested that I allow my clips to float as much as I could stand. (

So, what is "float"?
- a staight foot alignment with a tilt on the ball of the foot, or
- a twist of the ankle, placing the foot at an angle to the bike?

[makbike]

Mr. Silver, if I understand it correctly float is the amount of "wiggle room" your foot is allowed once it is positioned/secured on the pedal.