My bike nemesis...the inner thigh cramp..suggestions?
I used to suffer from cramping incessantly from all over my body. I generally knew when it was coming on because I'd see the dreaded salt stains on my clothing. Past few years I've been able to nix cramping due to a focus on hydration. Since I started back biking in August after 8 months off, I continue to get cramps in my inner right thigh after 1 hour of cycling(I'm right-handed). I can feel it coming on and I try to stand, massage it and do a host of other things to prolong the inevitable cramp monster. This inhibits my ability to push because I know its coming so I under cook biking to try to fight it off. Funny enough, when I go run, no cramps occur.
My legs are very strong/muscular comparatively speaking (think football running back thighs) so I don't know if the muscle is underdeveloped or I need to do a better job of hydrating before riding(drink a bottle of gatorlyte) (I have a very high sweat rate). I had my LBS do some thing to my pedals to try and balance the power between my left and right pedal so my right leg isn't doing all the work.
Any suggestions to fend off the inner thigh cramp? I'm sitting writing this and I can "feel" my inner thigh.
Comments
@maurice matthews I'm no expert but from what I've read and understand, here are my thoughts. My inner thighs have cramped during IM marathons.
For heavy sweaters, I agree with hydration, pre-loading with electrolytes, and recovering with electrolytes if working out later in the day or the next day. Have you done tests to measure how much sodium you lose in your sweat? Check out Precision Hydration.
As your major cycling muscles (glutes/quads/hamstrings) start to fatigue, your body recruits other muscles (inner thigh muscles) to share in the work. Since the inner thigh muscles are not as strong, they quickly get fatigued and cramp from being over worked.
Strengthening those muscles have helped me. I do reverse side lying leg raises. I do 2 to 3 sets, 3 times a week. https://youtu.be/9a8r12qqFHs
Another thing to consider is why are your inner thigh muscles being recruited to help with the workload? This could point to your glutes not being activated while biking/running. Typically people who sit most of the day have issues activating their glutes. Google "exercises to activate your glutes" to see all the various ways to wake up the glutes. If the exercises are hard to do, then that's an indication you're not using your glutes. Also, I think the Wiki run section has an exercise routine for the hips too.
Hope this helps.
@Derrek Sanks thanks for the advice. I’ll begin to incorporate those workouts. Funny enough I don’t cramp via runs.
ive precision hydration testing for both bike and run that’s how I know I’m in the 99% percentile for sweat rates 😖 and I live in South Fla. Bad combo for me lol.
I think Derrek's response was great.
I agree that you should try to do inner thigh strengthening exercises, at least once a week. If you go to the gym, most will have a hip ab/adduction machine to do them sitting down. You can also put a strap around your ankle and use the cables to do them standing up. A physical therapist recommended I do both sitting and standing when I'm having trouble related to muscle balance here. He said they work things in slightly different ways, but the differences seemed to be important.
You can also use elastic bands, or body weight exercises as @Derrek Sanks suggested above. Those don't require a trip to a gym. Bonus for less admin :).
@maurice matthews - @Derrek Sanks has really good points.
I have inner thigh cramps sometimes while biking too (sounds just like you described). I've always associated mine with hydration. Sometimes I get foot cramps or calve cramps that seem to be more frequently in the early part of the season (fatigue related probably). Inner thigh almost always happens to me towards the end of a ride where I have ridden hard, and it seems to happen more often on hot days that cool days. Especially since you mentioned having a high sweat rate, I would really make certain that your hydration and electrolyte balance is where it needs to be.
Thanks @Rich Stanbaugh i think I can do a better job of hydrating up front. I’ve still never had to the urge to pee on the bike. Guess that means I’m not drinking as much as I think I am lol.
@maurice matthews - after Louisville, not sure I should say anything about controlling peeing on the bike. In general:
When I am not freezing to death (I get cold easily), this normally works well. When I am cold, all bets are off and I am working on a solution; thinking the answer is to stay warm!
@Rich Stanbaugh great advice on the salt.
do you count the salt content in your drinks towards your 1000mg?
Im in South Fla and my races are generally down here so staying warm isn’t a problem. I tend to stay warm throughout races which is a whole different topic 🤣🤣😂.
@maurice matthews Is it your adductor? Or your inner quad (higher/groin = adductor, lower by knee is quad). Adductor can be due to seat being a bit too high...let me know!
I also think it sounds like a Bike Fit issue. Seat height, cleat position maybe? Have an experienced Bike Fitter have a look at your set up to rule it out.
@maurice matthews , here is your solution....
Regardless of which muscle it is or how strong that muscle is, the solution is the right prevention for cramps. The muscles that are biggest and are used for a particular effort (climbing) will use more lactate, and believe it or not the fuel the muscles need is a form of Lactate.. that is the fuel you use when anaerobic. so... here is your solution:
get "sport legs". It is a combo of calcium and magnesium lactate. Take one before your long ride and the minute you have a twinge take another. It is critical to get ahead of this so if you can take one before you get the cramps you're better off.
P.S.: I have no monetary relationship to this company and learned about this prior to Buffalo Springs race from some nerds in the bike shop in Lubbock. That was a long time ago and I find this works and the science has validity.
check this out... although I don't think it makes you run faster, it primarily provides Lactate (that is not lactic acid but a buffer or higher pH... ) which muscles use, and decrease the burn and anaerobic stress by shifting the equation away from the acid. https://262running.blogspot.com/2011/09/sport-legs-product-review.html
PM me if you really want to see how the equation works but IMHO, you should just check out how the supplement feels... if you want to see the formula and equation showing how lactic acid and lactate are related... WIKIpedia probably has it... but know that these two compounds are on the opposite end... one is a by product of anaerobic metabolism and the other is fuel for the muscles in an anaerobic state
@Coach Patrick it's my inner abductor. I had to do google image to find out lol.
@Donnacha Holmes funny enough I just got a bike fit 2 weeks and its the best one I've ever had. The abductor thing has been happening since August though. If it doesnt clear up in a few weeks I'll go back to the fitter.
@Patricia Rosen Thanks! I just picked up some today from my bike shop. Going to test it tomorrow. I trust you, I don't need the science behind it lol. I'll save that for @Larry Peters 🤣. I'll experiment over several rides.