****...I think I have tendonitis,

[shinomaster]

of my rectus femoris. I have been having some tightness where this center quad muscle runs over the knee for a while, but after a recent ride with a friend who is pretty strong I injured it worse. It just feels like something is stabbing the center of my thigh. I'm not sure of what else it could be. Any ideas or advice? I'm never had it this bad before.. I hope it goes away before cross season.

[coylifut]

you seen to push the big meat all the time, ease up on the gears, take some advil, ride when you can

[shinomaster]

Well the knuckle head I was riding with up Cornell was on a single speed (50/18) and so I had to work pretty hard to keep up with him....he used to be a cat 1...I know I'm full or excuses.

[znfdl]

Do yoga, it has done wonders for me.

[Avispa]

you seen to push the big meat all the time, ease up on the gears, take some advil, ride when you can

What coy said...

But, dude! Slow down, man! I know those CCC shorts make one go hard all the time. So, it is time for the bro to take it easy and work on a project for the Avispa...

Seriously, I have a hard-easy-hard program that has never failed me. Maybe it's time for you to back off and take it easy: small ring rides with no hills. Also, make sure you are getting enough of a warm up when you ride.

[grosmerou]

drink a lot,
eat antioxydant, like eggs white, coliflowers, yaourght, drink beer, wine, stretch a little, strap your muscle tightly go hiking or do anothe sport. buy acustom frame

[gasman]

Shino- Your main tendon for the front of your leg is the patellar tendon. It starts with the kneecap and connects to your tibia just below the knee. If your pain is centered over the middle of your thigh-your quads-then the pain is probably muscular in origin. You still will need to rest it. Do massage,ice it for the first 48 hours then consider heat. You do need to warm up well, stretch on a regular basis, massage the muscle and not push big gears right now. I bet Too Tall could give some good advice.
Good luck.

[coylifut]

we had a groove going while school was in where we'd meet every Thursday after I dropped my daugher off for an activity. He tends to push the big gears on the flats. He's a born climber and a very good/strong cyclist who hides behind self deprecation. Don't let it foo you, he can pedal.

The Shino creates laughter.

[alembical]

.... He's a born climber and a very good/strong cyclist who hides behind self deprecation. Don't let it foo you, he can pedal.

Seconded...

Alembical

[shinomaster]

we had a groove going while school was in where we'd meet every Thursday after I dropped my daugher off for an activity. He tends to push the big gears on the flats. He's a born climber and a very good/strong cyclist who hides behind self deprecation. Don't let it foo you, he can pedal.

The Shino creates laughter.

Then why am a such a horrible C racer!!!
Seriously Coy, thanks for the swell words...I have been mindful of the gearing since you and Chris pointed it out. It was never anything intentional. I found myself pushing way to hard to keep up with my Joker friend (who will be racing cross w/ us). I just over did it...

Thanks for the advice gasman!

[Fixed]

bro it seems the time of year... we will all be ready to back off a little soon
take some rest
cheers

[Andreas]

If your pain is centered over the middle of your thigh-your quads-then the pain is probably muscular in origin.

Actually the rectus femoris does connect via a tendon to the patella (knee cap), that is then connected via the patella tendon to the tibia.
Pain in mid thigh could be a number of things; it may be muscular, but it could be the muscular - tendon junction of the rectus. That is the location where you most like will have damage. Obviously, it could be something totally different (e.g. hairline stress fracture of the femur from overtraining).

One helpful differentation between muscular versus tendon would be to know when you have your pain. Tendinitis usually hurts a bit at the beginning, then goes away while you exercise and get worse after exercise.

All the advice given was great. Rest, Ice, NSAIDs. Ride easy, don't push.

The turnover rate of collagen fibers (that make your tendon) is very slow. Tendinitis means that you have ruptured a number of those fibers (imagine the tendon make up of millions of fibers, you have ruptured thousands). It takes a while to heal. Those fibers take 8-10 weeks to be replaced by new ones. That is why tendons and ligaments heal slower than bone.
Once your pain is gone you need to start to stretch very carefully. That will help the new forming fibers to allign themselves in the direction of the muscle pull - that is where you want them rather then criss crossing somewhere. Again, stretch without pain. Just in case you don't know hot to stretch: you need to hold tension for about 30 seconds at a time once your muscle is warm. The typical 5 second sretch does not do a thing and might be detrimental to the cause.

Hope this helps somebody...
Andreas

[oracle]

do you have access to cortisone injections through yer doc? if not, try r.i.c.e. for several days....and don't hit the advil too hard.

[sc53]

Hey Shino, when I was a runner I got a serious pain in the middle of my quad that turned out to be an injury to the iliopsoas muscle. The pain started in the middle of the quad but would rotate around the leg/hip/groin area. After tons of tests, scans, xrays, etc. to rule out everything, I just had to REST for almost 10 months plus get a lift for my right shoe. AFter about 18 months I could return to running, but much more slowly and for much less distance. Ultimately I just focused on cycling and now I don't run at all. Now weigh 165 instead of 125 too.....(20 yrs later)
boo hoo.

[shinomaster]

Oracle is RICE rest and ice? I also have been having pain in my hipflexor area as well. I wonder if they are related. I have very tight hams and muscles in general. I do try to stretch but it seems to do little good sometimes. My left leg is the gimpy one. I seem to have a lot of imbalance between the muscles in the legs.

[Ginger]

Oracle is RICE rest and ice? I also have been having pain in my hipflexor area as well. I wonder if they are related. I have very tight hams and muscles in general. I do try to stretch but it seems to do little good sometimes. My left leg is the gimpy one. I seem to have a lot of imbalance between the muscles in the legs.

Rest Ice Elevation

Related pains? Well...my experience says they are.

I have found that all those strong muscles in your lower back, butt, hip, and upper leg are all intertwined and rely somewhat heavily on being "balanced" to work. Plus there are quite a few muscles that we ignore. They still spasam and cause issues, but we tend not to recognize it for what it is. Good luck tracking your pain down Shino!

[BarryG]

I seem to have a lot of imbalance between the muscles in the legs.Go for some active release therapy (http://activerelease.com) and start attending a yoga class regularly and your bod will be very grateful.

[93legendti]

Rest Ice Elevation

Related pains? Well...my experience says they are.

I have found that all those strong muscles in your lower back, butt, hip, and upper leg are all intertwined and rely somewhat heavily on being "balanced" to work. Plus there are quite a few muscles that we ignore. They still spasam and cause issues, but we tend not to recognize it for what it is. Good luck tracking your pain down Shino!


Rest Ice Compression Elevation

[CalfeeFly]

The Yoga folks have a point.

When I could still distance run I went through a period of severe ankle pain...ice, elevation, you name it along with Advil & stronger and nothing worked. I fortunately met an outstanding orthodpedic doctor who quickly diaganosed it as not stretching enough and my achilles was tight as a stretched rubber band.

I know little of knees except what is wrong with mine. However if you have been hammering all season and not stretching a great deal there could be a similar imbalance going on with your knee. Everything is connected.

Going back to the Yoga folks...it is super stretching from a lot of what I've seen.

Either way I'd get a good medical opinion in case it is something that can be easily "fixed" like my ankle. Two days after meeting my doctor I ran our city 10 K at my best time ever...before I was a limping along.

Good luck & take care.

[Ginger]

Rest Ice Compression Elevation
Yeah...I don't like the compression part unless it is a recent injury and I can identify exactly what is wrong...but that's just me.

[oracle]

Oracle is RICE rest and ice? I also have been having pain in my hipflexor area as well. I wonder if they are related. I have very tight hams and muscles in general. I do try to stretch but it seems to do little good sometimes. My left leg is the gimpy one. I seem to have a lot of imbalance between the muscles in the legs.


right. but as mary ann pointed out, you might be better off with just r.i.e. or maybe even r.i. . as regards ice, you should really do it consistantly for a week or so.. go to the local store 24 or 7-11 and get a bag o' ice in the evening, embrace the ice as your healing benefactor...