How to know when it is time...

[JennK13]

With Lisa. You haven't been off it to let it rest enough to heal. I get that you have to exercise, but you can do things that are less stressful - like walking. I would think that no matter what is wrong with it, with or without an MRI, a doctor is going to suggest rest, too. Unless you're ready to do what is necessary for any injury, I wouldn't "waste" the money to go to the doctor. Really, taking at least a week "off" to let it heal is worth it when you consider the alternative.

[Catrin]

Good, and direct, points...and well taken. I've been quite resistant to taking time off because walking has caused just as much discomfort as biking - and even hiking difficult terrain no longer raises my heart rate above 95. So I figured if walking has the same effect as biking, then why stay off the bike?

Friday's discomfort may simply have been because I went riding after strength training. I will go for a gentle ride today - and if there is any discomfort at all, I will take the week off the bike.

As Lisa pointed out however, walking serves more purposes than cardiovascular and while I do walk several times a week, I will do more of it.

[indysteel]

And stop doing lower body resistrance training this week while you're at it. There's no sense staying off the bike if you're just going to do strength training instead.

[Crankin]

+1 with Lisa's advice. I no longer can get my HR up with walking, but I still do it a couple of times a week. It makes my body feel good in ways that are different. Sometimes I don't have time to do anything except the 2.2 mile walk up and down my street... since it's a hill, I just walk really fast and I can now get up a sweat doing that. But other times, I walk with DH, who "complains" about walking faster than about a 3.5 mph pace (he has "delicate" feet.) This is what really stretches out my body. Since I decided I can no longer attempt to run (which I loved for weight control), which wreaked havoc on my back, I have decided to keep walking as an important part of my fitness routine. I often combine it with yoga or core work when I get back. Since I no longer belong to a gym, this is what I do on days I would have been at the gym.

[JennK13]

Good, and direct, points...and well taken. I've been quite resistant to taking time off because walking has caused just as much discomfort as biking - and even hiking difficult terrain no longer raises my heart rate above 95. So I figured if walking has the same effect as biking, then why stay off the bike

.I do agree with you on this! There are other things, though. When I'm on an off day, I ride my cruiser at an easy pace - different riding position, and I'm not inclined to go fast or push myself at all. Being on that bike reminds me not to. Do you have access to a pool - how about trying some swimming or water exercises? You could try different strokes to see which doesn't hurt your hammering, or even just use a buoy and do arm pulls (if you aren't a swimmer, this is a great workout!)
The main thing really is to not aggravate the hamstring. As an athlete, I know how frustrating rest and healing can be - I've also suffered LOTS of injuries; some that jagged me for far longer than they needed to because I didn't let them heal, and others as a result of me favoring the injured limb and hurting something else in the process! And my performance was far less than optimal, so it's not like working through the pain helped me at all! Even now, as an adult I'm still stubborn and have to remind myself of these things - I hadn't been on my bike for two weeks due to a cheat cold and sinus infection. I have a "rule" that I never go more than three days off the bike, but I was S-I-C-K! No matter how much I wanted to ride, I stayed off so I could get well. It's only taken me 15 years and numerous visits to the urgent care after coughing up blood to "figure out" that I can't push the envelope when it comes to injury or illness! Went for a brisk 30 miles yesterday and felt great!

[Catrin]

I hear you IndySteel. My trainer and I have been very cautious with lower-body work, most of my work has been upper-body since this started - outside of a few deadlifts and squats - neither of which caused pain or discomfort of any kind.

I have decided to stay off the bike until Friday - that will give me a solid week...and yes, that will include the spinning bike. I was actually trying to justify going to spinning class and just take it really easy - but this kind of defeats the purpose. I mean, sitting here at the computer I am aware of that hamstring...so I don't need to take the bike out to test and see if there will be discomfort. There would be.

I've always been the type to just push through pain until it gets too bad to ignore - but in this case that is just silly. I will walk at the gym and do upper-body workouts.

You know, this cycling is quite addictive - but there are far worse addictions to have It would be easier to stay off the bike if the weather wasn't so nice...

[Veronica]

Just go to the doctor. Then you'll know what's wrong and what to do about it.

Veronica

[azfiddle]

Catrin,
You're getting some good advice and suggestions. Here's a related story with my 2 cents worth of advice. Last spring, I suddenly got pain on the outside of one knee when cycling. I came to the conclusion that the IT band was irritated, due to too much hard climbing on the bike.

I went to the doctor and she sent me to a PT. Yes, there was inflammation in the IT band, but as difficult as it was for me to accept at the time, the PT blamed my hips being out of alignment, and prescribed a bunch of stretching and strengthening exercises for my legs, lower abdomen, etc. My hamstrings were really tight, as were my calves and piriformis (a muscle in the butt). I was very unstable when standing and walking for a while.

The PT took me off the bike completely for a couple weeks, then encouraged me to ride short, flat and easy rides for a while. The whole thing felt worse before it got better, and it took about 3 months altogether. At the end of 3months, I was able to ride up to 100 miles a week again, including a long climb up Mt. St. Helens. My left side still has some tight hamstrings at times, much more than the right, but if I go back to the stretching, even a couple of days, it improves right away.

A car accident a week before the pain started may or may not have been responsible for the hips being "out". On the other hand, it may have just been overuse, without enough stretching. We're not kids anymore and we have to be a little bit more careful with overuse...

Main points:
1-no MRI or other expensive tests were needed to identify the problem- it was a hands-on and observation by the PT.

2. I was faithful about doing the prescribed series of exercises, although I tried to ride again too much/too soon and probably set myself back a little.

3. I went for several massage therapy and chiropractor appointments, and I think they were helpful and confirmed what the PT was saying, though the perspective was not identical.

4. Go get it checked out- and do your stretches!

[Catrin]

Azfiddle - thanks for your story. We will likely never know what caused it, but I was pretty good at starting physical activity without warming up there for a time, got a little overconfident I think. I deadlift close to my body weight, and squat more than my weight and I suspect that this tendency of mine is at least related to it...

I did go for a gentle hike today, and yeah, it came and went. I am still trying to justify going to spinning class tomorrow night and just spinning lightly... I cannot swim, and I've got to get SOME real exercise to keep my blood sugar in control. I do not take medication for the diabetes. Hopefully just a few days off the bike won't mess things up too much.

Thanks all for the good advice. If resting doesn't show improvement by Thursday will see my dr. Friday.