Leg pain from cycling is usually a bad sign rather than an indicator that you're getting a good workout. Pain in your legs may signal an overuse injury, an equipment issue or overtraining. If you are suffering leg pain, it's best to visit a health care provider to get an accurate diagnosis. The steps and time frame for recovering from your leg pain will depend on its cause.
Lack of Rest
If you are getting ready for a race, build rest into your training regimen, says John Howard in the book "Mastering Cycling." If you have mild but continuous soreness, this is a sign that you are not getting enough rest. The same can be said for mild but continuous joint pain in your legs. Other signs of inadequate rest include insomnia, appetite loss, increased frequency of getting ill and loss of enthusiasm.
Uneven Legs
Chronic soreness or stiffness may have another cause -- a discrepancy in your leg lengths, say Ed Burke and Ed Pavelka, authors of "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling." It's extremely common to be born with such a discrepancy. Even a small one unevenness will be magnified over time because of cycling's repetitive nature. Hip, knee and ankle pain and injury are commonly caused by this issue. Corrections to your cycling shoes can fix this issue. Neglecting it can lead to tendinitis or a knee instability issue that requires surgery to correct, the authors warn.
Patellofemoral Syndrome
The leg pain you experience may be from an overuse injury such as patellofemoral syndrome, which is marked by pain under your kneecap. This is usually caused by having your saddle to low or too far forward, according to Matthew J. Thompson and Frederick P. Rivara with the American Academy of Family Physicians. In the short term, use ice and anti-inflammatory medication and take a break from cycling. In the long term, adjust your saddle, stretch your hamstrings regularly and increase strength in the quadriceps muscle called the vastus medialis. Strengthen this muscle with exercises such as squeezing a pillow between your knees with your knees bent to 20 degrees or performing light leg extensions with your lower legs externally rotated.
Hip Pain
Two other overuse injuries are extremely common among cyclists -- iliopsoas tendonitis, also called IT band syndrome, and trochanteric bursitis, in which the fluid-filled sac near your hip becomes inflamed from the repetitive motion of pedaling. You'll feel leg pain from these injuries in your hip area. Taking it easy and using ice and anti-inflammatory medications are good short-term strategies. Incorporating iliotibial band stretching into your regimen and lowering your saddle slightly are good long-term strategies. To avoid overuse injuries like these, don't do too much too fast when you get going on your bike or start training for a race.
Massage
If you are simply sore from a great workout or from going all out in a race, promote muscle recovery and alleviate your soreness with massage, recommends Ed Burke in "Optimal Muscle Performance and Recovery." This improves circulation to your muscles while stretching and relaxing them, which helps to alleviate pain. Massage won't hasten your efforts to build muscle strength, but it is more effective than rest alone in promoting recovery from a hard workout, Burke says.
References
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Bicycle-Related Injuries; Matthew J. Thompson, Frederick P. Rivara; May 15, 2001
- "Management of Common Musculoskeletal Disorders"; Darlene Hertling and Randolph M. Kessler; 2006
- "Mastering Cycling"; John Howard; 2010
- "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling"; Ed Burke and Ed Pavelka; 2000
- "Optimal Muscle Performance and Recovery"; Ed Burke; 2003
- Cycling Performance Tips: Leg, Knee and Hip Pain
