Extreme quadriceps starting pain after 3-4 rest days

[Daniel Seo]

Does anyone eating something while riding a bike? I don't eat anything while riding my bike. In a recent episode, I rode my bike for 80 km for 3 hours and didn't eat anything, and the next day it attacked me. I think we should all be wary of depleting muscle glycogen.

 

[suvowner]

I think this article is definitely worth a read, for those of you in the UK attempting to correspond with the author might be useful, particularly the section
"Alpha‐actinin‐3 R577X polymorphism and the initial phase of exercise‐induced muscle damage", on page 1598.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4983298/pdf/421_2016_Article_3411.pdf

in short the cause is most likely multifactorial, I still don't buy mitochondrial disease as the most likely etiology, nor do I think everyone in this forum will have the same etiology, some or several combinations of polymorphisms in mitochondrial respiration or skeletal muscle cytoskeletal elements likely combine to create variable susceptibility to this phenomena.

the poster "Shayne G" went the farthest in trying to find an answer, which included a large muscle biopsy, and per post#207, no definitive evidence of a metabolic or glycogen storage disease. he even tried strict keto for 3 months with no change. Katie Compton has the same issue, and she is a world class cycling endurance athlete, I just don't see how someone could reach that level of fitness and endurance performance with a mitochondrial disease.

the one unifying pattern is intolerance to eccentric loading of the cycling muscles after 1-5 days of rest, especially high speed such as running downhill. The best low speed eccentric load I know of is a heavy/slow squat or a lunge with dumbbells. if you are going to be forced off the bike, then experiment with doing squats at the gym with as much weight as you can do for about 10-12 reps 3-5 sets or lunges with dumbbells 10-12 reps 3-5 sets 1-5 days before your time off, and depending on your degree of suspectibility to this you may need to squat or lunge every 1-5 days during your time off the bike.

 

[Vl4d4s]

Hi all,

Greeting from Lithuania! I found this thread April 2023 when I had the same "attack" on my quads. I am cycling for ~4 years now, I train ~10-15/h week, my FTP is ~4.7-4.8W/kg. I train all year round, no off-season breaks. So far I had these seizures 4 times. Only after 3rd time I found this thread. First 2 times I had to wait for ~3 weeks without cycling to be able to get on the bike again. All the symptoms and circumstances match this thread 110% (2-3 off bike, knife-like pain in quads after going down the stairs or just climbing down).

After 3rd "attack" on my quads I found this thread and one tip helped me. I just had a 4th "attack" (I was sick for 3 days hence I didn't train), it helped immediately as well.

I highly recommend it for other as well.

When pain starts, try to sit down and relax. Slowly bend the legs and when you can fully bend them stand up and slowly start doing squats. For me it takes ~4 sessions of 50 squats to tire my legs. Then I am able to get on the bike and pedal. I do 30-60min really hard session (80-100% of my FTP) and it's solved! I still feel some pain in my muscles for 1-2 days but it does not disturb to cycle at all.

Please let us all know in the thread below if this works for you as well, I hope this will make others try this technique as well!

Best Wishes,
Vladas

 

[AlexLovesSpeed]

You know I did have this happen only once after what was a bigger ride for me at the time (roughly 40 miles). It scared me to the point I stayed off the bike for over a week but it ended quickly. Despite going beyond that distance and speed its not happened again knock on wood. I assumed it had to do with me pushing too hard