Legs ache after walking up a hill

Travis said:

Has anyone else had this? Does it get worse? Are there exercises I
should be doing to fix it (like, um, walking up hills more often) or
stretching?

Yes, I've a had similar things occur, bear in mind, cycling isn't a weight-bearing activity (as much as) walking, ruining etc. Although someone is bound to correct me or add more detail. Attempt to balance your cycling with simply walking a bit more or more stretching exercises. :p

Travis said:

...if I put my heel on the ground, I can barely lift my
toes off the floor. I wouldn't describe it as painful as such, but it
is a bit sore, more that I seem to have literally no strength at all in
that direction, as if the muscles responsible for lifting the foot have
withered. I feel a bit of soreness in various parts of my lower leg.

Are your calves tight? Maybe some stretching.

Not quite the same thing, but I managed to develop a muscle imbalance that impacted my knees through cycling. This was quickly fixed up by a change of position on the bike.

Is your bike position good?

In article <[email hidden]>,

Travis said:

Is this normal?

Over the last few days I've been in the CBD attending seminars and have
had to do a fair bit of walking, including up and down the infamous
hill from Kings Park to St George's Tce.

My legs were really sore, and more to the point I had almost no
strength in my ankles afterward in the "up" direction, or as an article
on movement I just read describes it, "dorsiflexion".

(http://www.answers.com/topic/anatomical-terms-of-motion)

I can point my toes in line with my shins and stand on my toes, jump
etc if I want, but if I put my heel on the ground, I can barely lift my
toes off the floor. I wouldn't describe it as painful as such, but it
is a bit sore, more that I seem to have literally no strength at all in
that direction, as if the muscles responsible for lifting the foot have
withered. I feel a bit of soreness in various parts of my lower leg.

My theory is that I've been doing so much riding that I've developed
the muscles involved in cycling to a high degree and this has to a
certain extent cannibalised the muscles used in walking. Either that
or its a tendon thing.

Has anyone else had this? Does it get worse? Are there exercises I
should be doing to fix it (like, um, walking up hills more often) or
stretching?

Isn't it a known fact that cycling unbalances the muscles in the leg and
can cause problems?

Personally I think balancing jogging (dead boring) with cycling (ride
into the sunset) is a good combo toward CV fitness. 🙂
--

cfsmtb said:

Yes, I've a had similar things occur, bear in mind, cycling isn't a weight-bearing activity (as much as) walking, ruining etc. Although someone is bound to correct me or add more detail. Attempt to balance your cycling with simply walking a bit more or more stretching exercises. :p

I try to avoid these sorts of injuries by following a structured, regimented training programme. I don't ususlly like to share my training secrets (most elite racers in Bne would kill to gain the benefits of my training regime) but I'm feeling generous today (ie, half-cut after lunch) so anyway here goes:

• I have an unnaturally high level of fear / anxiety about suffering illness related to overtraining - chronic fatigue; chest infections; over-use injuries etc. So if in doubt, i always, always train less. Some weeks and even months, when my anxietly levels are particularly high, I do absolutely no training at all so make sure I avoid these injuries
  
• cycling is indeed a non-weight bearing activity. Accordingly I try to carry as much weight as I can when off my bike. This allows me to enjoy pasta, cake, beer, mars bars, fairy bread, beer, donuts, wizz-fizz, choritzo(?) sausage, lollygobbleblissbombs and peanut butter by the tablespoonful with absolutely no guilt
  
• I suspect that csfmtb's spelling of "running" as "ruining" was more than just a typo - methinks it was much more of a freudian slip. And I couldn't agree more. Nothing like "ruining" to ruin a good training regime. Another cornerstone of my training regime is no ruining.
  
• I always go into each training ride with a number of pre-prepared excuses ready to go. "I have a sore lung"; "I tore a heartilage"; "I have 25kg of weights in my backpack"(not really - just a few cream buns); "I'm coming off a tough interval session this morning"; "I cant get my rear brake to release fully"; "I just had spinal surgery - L5/S1 fusion - and the sticthces aren't out yet"; "I had a deep tissue massage this morning and I obviously cant cope with the toxins that have been released". Personal pride is overrated. Be shameless and prepared to sell yourself out like that [censored] Ed Dolan - its easy one you stop caring;
  
• "No Pain, no pain". Pain hurts. Pain is a defence mechanism. What hurts is not good. Avoid what hurts, because it tends to drain the enjoyment from the things you do. Its not fr*ggin rocket science!! I cant remember the last time I was in pain on my bike (apart from that time that I was in Daisy hill on the MTB, did an endo over a log and tore rib cartilage. That certianly was not part of my structuted training regime
  
• Avoid unnecceary perambulation. Lifts, excalators etc are there for o a reason.
  
• Taper, taper, taper. You've all read about the importance of tapering. Never ever undertaper. You're only selling yourself short. Basically, the more taper you do, the better the taper is. And you've all read about the importance of tapering.
  

get over yourself. My legs ache walking to the lettterbox

Ed the great.

Travis wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

My legs were really sore, and more to the point I had almost no
strength in my ankles afterward in the "up" direction, or as an article
on movement I just read describes it, "dorsiflexion".

(http://www.answers.com/topic/anatomical-terms-of-motion)

I can point my toes in line with my shins and stand on my toes, jump
etc if I want, but if I put my heel on the ground, I can barely lift my
toes off the floor. I wouldn't describe it as painful as such, but it
is a bit sore, more that I seem to have literally no strength at all in
that direction, as if the muscles responsible for lifting the foot have
withered. I feel a bit of soreness in various parts of my lower leg.

<snip>

If you look closely below your knees, you'll notice there's
lots of big muscles at the back of your lower leg (commonly
called calf muscles), which act to plantarflex your feet
(point your toes in line with your shin, mostly you'll just
spot the tibialis anterior), whereas the muscles on the
front of your legs, which dorsiflex your feet, are pretty
puny. Normally most of your ankle range of motion is in that
plantarflexion direction (poet!) and little dorsiflexion in
comparison.

Rapid walking and hill/stair climbing uses a lot of calf
muscle. They get tight and you tend to plantarflex a bit. In
fact most people if resting will plantarflex, who goes to
bed with their feet at 90 degrees to their shins? Cyclists
who toe the pedals a lot also can get tight calves. Your
puny little tibialis anterior can't really compete. If
you're lifting your toes up (which you may do to climb a
hill) your puny tib-ant has to work extra hard to overcome
the mighty gastronemius. It's a little tired and worn out
now. Give it a bit of rest. If it doesn't feel better in a
few days, see a professional!

T

monsterman wrote many things but I snipped them all except
for:

Quoted message said:

- cycling is indeed a non-weight bearing activity. Accordingly I try
to carry as much weight as I can when off my bike. This allows me to
enjoy pasta, cake, beer, mars bars, fairy bread, beer, donuts,
wizz-fizz, choritzo(?) sausage, lollygobbleblissbombs and peanut
butter by the tablespoonful with absolutely no guilt

Dear God, I need some fairy bread RIGHT NOW!
And a chocolate crackle. Mmmmm. And a latte.

Quoted message said:

- I always go into each training ride with a number of pre-prepared
excuses ready to go...

Wow, I didn't know you're a triathlete!

Quoted message said:

- "No Pain, no pain". Pain hurts. Pain is a defence mechanism.
What hurts is not good. Avoid what hurts, because it tends to drain
the enjoyment from the things you do. Its not fr*ggin rocket
science!! I cant remember the last time I was in pain on my bike
(apart from that time that I was in Daisy hill on the MTB, did an
endo over a log and tore rib cartilage. That certianly was not part
of my structuted training regime

But it was really, really fscking funny, dude. :P

Quoted message said:

- Taper, taper, taper. You've all read about the importance of
tapering. Never ever undertaper. You're only selling yourself short.
Basically, the more taper you do, the better the taper is. And
you've all read about the importance of tapering.

Don't forget recovery. Should you do any physical activity,
allow significant time to recover. In fact a sufficient
amount of recovery time is considered as the minimum time to
extend right into your next taper period.

Tam(recover, race, taper, recover, race, taper... who
trains?!)

monsterman said:

[*]I suspect that csfmtb's spelling of "running" as "ruining" was more than just a typo - methinks it was much more of a freudian slip. And I couldn't agree more. Nothing like "ruining" to ruin a good training regime. Another cornerstone of my training regime is no ruining.

That is indeed correct. Now shuffle off you ingrate.

Saint cfsmtb the not-so-Humble - Order of the Imbibing Nuns - Southern Victoria

monsterman said:

I cant remember the last time I was in pain on my bike

You serious? Managing the pain is the challenge.. then being able to outsource it to other riders is the reward 😉

mwaaaaahhhahahahaaaaaouchy!

cfsmtb said:

That is indeed correct. Now shuffle off you ingrate.

Saint cfsmtb the not-so-Humble - Order of the Imbibing Nuns - Southern Victoria

in nomine party pie, et fillet, et spiritus pale ale us !

sister you got the spirit...now behave tonight at spoiler's birthday bash...at least you can crawl home from the NorthcoteSC beer garden to the not so humble Imbibing Sidster..oops...Order's Monsignor's Brewery in time for vespers.... or is that Vespa's ...

monsterman said:

get over yourself. My legs ache walking to the lettterbox

Ed the great.

You're not Ed, you're an Australian slob! Are you an aborigine? Do you
live in the desert? Do you catch crocodiles? Why do you spell your name
without a capital? Do you know Tam and can you get a rise out of her?

Ed the great

Donga said:

monsterman said:

get over yourself. My legs ache walking to the lettterbox

Ed the great.

You're not Ed, you're an Australian slob! Are you an aborigine? Do you
live in the desert? Do you catch crocodiles? Why do you spell your name
without a capital? Do you know Tam and can you get a rise out of her?

Ed the great

You're not Ed either, you're a Donga. What is a Donga
anyway? It sounds like some kind of colloquialism for the
male organ, therefore I suspect it is an affectionate
nickname given to you by one of your riding buddies.

Ed the great

(I give up, it's too hard trying to impersonate such a
[censored] - oops! Not a [censored], I meant such a great man.)

Donga said:

You're not Ed, you're an Australian slob!

Ed the great

Hey, [censored] you buddy!!! I resemble that comment!!!

Are you up for a ride SUnday morning??

gplama said:

You serious? Managing the pain is the challenge.. then being able to outsource it to other riders is the reward 😉

mwaaaaahhhahahahaaaaaouchy!

Hey I'm with you, my hard stompin' mountain amigo!!!! Why just this morning I put a homeless guy on a speedwell dragster (hub gear - 3 speed) in the hurt bag. I waited until he was hopelessy undergeared and reached for his flagon, and then I called "car back!!" & lit the wick. 76 yo [censored] didn't stand a chance. I suspect he undertapered.

monsterman said:

Hey I'm with you, my hard stompin' mountain amigo!!!! Why just this morning I put a homeless guy on a speedwell dragster (hub gear - 3 speed) in the hurt bag. I waited until he was hopelessy undergeared and reached for his flagon, and then I called "car back!!" & lit the wick. 76 yo [censored] didn't stand a chance. I suspect he undertapered.

If I keep drinkin' I'll catch you and JonoL on the ab post rating in no time (Hic'😉

monsterman said:

If I keep drinkin' I'll catch you and JonoL on the ab post rating in no time (Hic'😉

I love responding to and quoting my own posts. At this rate, I'll have this group up to Ed's required intelligence level in no time.

monsterman said:

I love responding to and quoting my own posts. At this rate, I'll have this group up to Ed's required intelligence level in no time.

363 and counting!!😎

monsterman said:

Hey I'm with you, my hard stompin' mountain amigo!!!! Why just this morning I put a homeless guy on a speedwell dragster (hub gear - 3 speed) in the hurt bag. I waited until he was hopelessy undergeared and reached for his flagon, and then I called "car back!!" & lit the wick. 76 yo [censored] didn't stand a chance. I suspect he undertapered.

hahahahah!!! love it! 😄

Travis said:

Is this normal?

this happens to me everytime I go back to walking the dog after being slack about it for a few weeks.