Same total leg length - diff tib/femur - problems + bike set up?

[andy mac]

i've been having pelvis/hip problems for about 4 years now and it's pretty much crippled my riding, running etc. have been trying lots of different remedies with not much luck.

basically my left hip comes up and rotates around forward. people put it back in place but if reverts back to the initial position after a few days.

they just found out some stats - could they be a a factor or the potential cause?

leg alingment: 0 genu valgus/varus both sides.

femur length: 53.1cm right. 53.0cm left
tibial length: 39cm right. 39.1cm left
total: 92.5 both sides

when and if i can properly start riding again, should my bike be set up to accommodate the difference, which is quite slight but maybe makes a difference?

every time i put in serious miles i get injured and it's driving me nutso.

as always any help, tips etc very much appreciated.

:beer:

andy

[Viper]

i've been having pelvis/hip problems for about 4 years now and it's pretty much crippled my riding, running etc.

basically my left hip comes up and rotates around forward. people put it back in place but if reverts back to the initial position after a few days.


Do you have scoliosis?

Here:

http://www.iscoliosis.com/symptoms.html

[Needs Help]

It sounds like a medical fit with Dr. Andy Pruitt might be in order:

http://www.ultracycling.com/equipment/bikefit.html

[malcolm]

I suspect .1 cm variation is within normal limits.

[jhcakilmer]

Any history of knee problems? Very common etiology of hip/pelic pain.

A tenth of a centimeter is not that abnormal.

[regularguy412]

I suspect .1 cm variation is within normal limits.

I'll agree with this, having had 'leg length discrepancies' in the past. I've never really had my legs measured. Turns out that I have a back problem; another poster alluded to this possibility, re: scoliosis.

My right hip is higher than my left due to a compression fracture of L3 and the slippage of the disc beneath it. This problem sort of 'induces' some scoliosis tendencies because the spine is trying to compensate for the imbalance caused by the injury.

Since your legs are the same length, neither one is really 'reaching' for the pedal. If either one is, I'd bet there is a different, undiagnosed cause.

Seek out a good fit specialist and get a professional opinion. One tenth of a cm is not enough difference to shim for,, since one typically only makes adjustments for one-half the difference from side to side. That is, if one leg is 8mm shorter than the other, one typically shims for half the difference -- or 4 mm added to the stack height of the cleat on the short side. At least, this formula worked for me and it made a WORLD of difference.

Mike in AR:beer:

[soulspinner]

I suspect .1 cm variation is within normal limits.

well within...

[Z3c]

I would recommend seeking out a well respected fitter if you don't want to start with someone like Andy P, and chat with them about your specifics. IMHO I would agree that you are not unusual and there is a real chance that an in-depth fit could resolve your issues. Between some shimming and maybe staggering your cleats a little, it may be a fairly easy fix.

Good luck,

Scott

[giordana93]

I have serious doubts that a 1 mm difference can even be measured!
what I do not doubt is that you can have problems with hips being mis-aligned as I've been going through this too, in part to compensate for the crown of the road and in part because of a broken clavicle on one side that makes that arm functionally longer and twists my whole trunk and makes one leg act likes it's shorter.
still looking for the ideal solution, but here are a few ideas:
try raising the brake lever on one side a cm or so to initiate a compensating twist
try skewing the saddle off by a degree or two in the direction opposite of your twist--if you look at some pro's saddles--floyd landis being the most easily identified--they point the saddle off-center just a tad
finally, I found that a slightly higher saddle made it harder to twist my hips, although it can be dangerous for the back of the knee of the "functionally" shorter leg.
steve hogg has a number of threads on this pelvic asymetry that might be worth digging up on the fitness q&a on cyclingnews.com (right?)

oops, one google, and he even has a pdf article on it:http://www.cyclefitcentre.com/pdf%20final%20docs/THE%20PROBLEM%20OF%20PELVIC%20SYMMETRY_final.pdf


it's on his own pages:
http://www.cyclefitcentre.com/further%20reading.htm

good luck

[andy mac]

thanks all. i went and saw a pelvis specialist and apparently i have a pelvic slip on my left side. fingers crossed they can right it, they seemed pretty confident.

I asked about scoliosis - they will look into it but don't think that is the case.

in regards to fit i have used highly recommended people in london, new york, portland and aust. yikes... lotsa $$$$.

pray for my butt. you know what i mean.

:beer: as always,

andy