did post this in beginners by accident, so please excuse duplication!! Still a newbie!!

I had some serious back problems a while back, which resulted in my having a spinal fusion op. However, what prompted me to go to the docs in the first place was piriformis trouble (pain where my butt and hip join) and pain. It didn't hurt when I rode, but afterwards got very sore. Now, I was hoping this would magically go away afetr the surgery, but it would appear that it may have been a separate issue entirely.

I've hatched a theory, based on the several sporty women I know, that women seem to be prone to this kind of muscle spasm, especially from cycling. Maybe it's the way our hips move. I was wondering whether anyone else suffers from this, and if they've come up with a magic way of getting rid of it? I'm finally back on the bike now, but getting severely cheesed off with being sore after riding or running (just a little way, and the nice surgeon man DID say it was OK to run)

Any experiences??

Get it too after running and cycling - I discovered it is mostly aggravated by my road bike as obviously still haven't sorted my position.

Best thing I've found is yoga and a chiropractor. My chiro has really helped by sorting out my inherent wonkiness. I have a DVD with a 30 minute workout for cyclists (lots of downward/upward dog) has been loads better since starting this and doesn't seem to reoccur.

Also did quite a bit of piriformis stretching (figure 4 etc) as well as putting my butt onto a tennis ball and rolling around (ouch ouch ouch) to try to massage it a bit. I need a sports massage but haven't got round to it yet....


Meant to add: have a look around the RunnersWorld website - specifically the Health/Injury page and the Injury forum, loads of people have piriformis, I found loads of good info on there. Hope it starts getting better for you, it drove me to distraction at times (in the toilet at work every 5 minutes stretching the damn thing)

Thanks for that. I'm a bit hesitant about chiropractors as yet, since it was only 5 months ago I had my surgery. Have been doing piriformis stretches as described but still too sore round there (worst side is also side where bone graft was taken from so bit tender still) to do the tennis ball thing.

Think it would be good to get back to yoga again. I used to do Ashtanga and I don't think I suffered as much back then.

What's the name of the DVD you've got, and where did you get it from, please?

Ta!

Cross post, runnersworld is a great source of info though.

The DVD is cyclo-zen from Graeme Street available from here:

http://www.cyclo-core.com/

I've been doing some of the workouts regularly and they do help, especially as its targetted at cyclists. I am trying to locate a yoga class I can get to as I think it would be useful to check that I am doing the poses correctly, however the benefit even from a half hour session is noticeable.

Only have my own experience of chiros to go on but one of the things I found most useful is that they look at you structurally as a whole before going anywhere near treatment - I have one leg shorter than the other, flat feet and at the time locked sacro-iliac joints, no idea about any of it!

just had a look at that website, and I notice it's in the states. Does that mean a region 1 DVD? My player will only take UK and EU dvd's unfortunately, and there's no 'magic hack' for it either. :o(

I'll keep looking.

Think I'll check out the chiro as well. Sure I have sacro illiac 'issues'

Thanks for info!!

i have just put an answer in your other thread, but i went to the chiro and they should be very thorough before laying hands on you they will want to look at old xrays/scans drop me an email if you want anymore advice from a fellow back sufferer!!

Kitten Burglar,

I don't think the DVD is region specific (region 0 ?). Our DVD player can play multi regions but you have to faff quite a bit to set it, the Cyclo-Zen DVD just seems to play ok.

Sorry my problem is different than this

This could also be a sign of a prolapsed disc? Is this why you had the op in the first place? I suffered this 6 months ago now, and I am only just improving after undergoing a epidural steriod injection. Does the pain extend down your leg past the knee, or just past into the butt. This is the location of your sciatic nerve which passes through the piriformis muscle and can be agreviated if you have a spinal problem. I would recomend sport massage, and I do around 45 minutes of yoga each day but avoid forward bends!

I have seen research somewhere that indicates that the width of the bottom bracket can cause problems with hips and knees in women.

I think, although I'm working from memory here (I'll check where I saw it later when I have time) that using a triple chainring/bottom bracket is less problematical than using doouble. It is to do with the width of womens hips being wider.

In the same vein, and very much of the top of my head, what about the saddle being used is it providing the support the pelvis needs?

I have injred my coxix I think that is how you spell it.But I put it down to my fault as I did not come out of the saddle whilst going over a pothole, I am paying the price now as I am unable to ride my bike until the pain subsides.