I'm just starting out in serious cycling and wanted some advise from someone who's physiologically minded.
I used to be a good runner when I was in my late teens but had to retire at 19 (14 years ago now ) due to sever pain in my shins when running. Everyone kept telling me it was shin splints and advised me on the appropriate treatment, but I couldn't get rid of it.
It was only two years ago that I went to see a physio (a former club member who I knew personally) and he referred me to a clinic in London where I finally found out what the problem was. It turned out to be compartment syndrome in the tibialis anterior muscles, those on the outside of the shin bone. Basically those muscles are too big for the muscle sheaf and when I exercise those muscles and the muscles expand, it causes the nerves and blood vessels to be crushed causing the pain.
I was wondering whether cycling for long periods is likely to work these muscles too much. So far I have been training for up to 90 minutes at a constant pace to build my fitness up and I don't seem to have had problems so far.
Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.
I used to be a good runner when I was in my late teens but had to retire at 19 (14 years ago now ) due to sever pain in my shins when running. Everyone kept telling me it was shin splints and advised me on the appropriate treatment, but I couldn't get rid of it.
It was only two years ago that I went to see a physio (a former club member who I knew personally) and he referred me to a clinic in London where I finally found out what the problem was. It turned out to be compartment syndrome in the tibialis anterior muscles, those on the outside of the shin bone. Basically those muscles are too big for the muscle sheaf and when I exercise those muscles and the muscles expand, it causes the nerves and blood vessels to be crushed causing the pain.
I was wondering whether cycling for long periods is likely to work these muscles too much. So far I have been training for up to 90 minutes at a constant pace to build my fitness up and I don't seem to have had problems so far.
Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.