Nerve problem?

[cromagnon]

I've been doing a lot of miles recently, I can feel a tingling sensation near the bottom of my shinbone. I kept thinking it was a bug crawling on my leg and jumped out of bed.

Pulled the sheets back and no sign of giant tarantula. It started up again after a while and I pulled the covers back, nothing there. I lay there looking at it and it came back. I can feel it right now but not as much as last night.

If I scratch or brush the area with my hand it goes away then gradually comes back, it's not that bad but it's hardly what I'd call pleasant especially for trying to sleep. Anyone had anything like this? I'm worried it's actually damage in another area that's being referred to the shin by the complex nerve circuitry. I'll go to the doc but they generally don't give a toss the second I mention cycling she'll say "stop cycling, thank you, bye".

 

[Master50]

Shin Splints?

Not a Doctor but maybe shin splints? Usually a runners complaint. If your doctor suggests getting off the bike I'd ask to do what, get fat and have a heart attack? I had a great doctor that was a cyclist too, so he never suggested that as any kind of solution. Even my new doctor who is basically sedentary worked hard to get me back on my bike after I hurt an artery last November.
In terms of exercise cycling is one of the most benign, but the lack of weight bearing does cause some skeletal weaknesses. If you have upped your efforts and strength it could be related to the greater stress on your leg bones just being reflected as numbness. Hope you find it is a simple cause and easily treated.

 

[usedtobefast]

I've been doing a lot of miles recently, I can feel a tingling sensation near the bottom of my shinbone. I kept thinking it was a bug crawling on my leg and jumped out of bed.

Pulled the sheets back and no sign of giant tarantula. It started up again after a while and I pulled the covers back, nothing there. I lay there looking at it and it came back. I can feel it right now but not as much as last night.

If I scratch or brush the area with my hand it goes away then gradually comes back, it's not that bad but it's hardly what I'd call pleasant especially for trying to sleep. Anyone had anything like this? I'm worried it's actually damage in another area that's being referred to the shin by the complex nerve circuitry. I'll go to the doc but they generally don't give a toss the second I mention cycling she'll say "stop cycling, thank you, bye".

it does not sound like shinsplints that i have had, but i am not in medicine.
just fyi, i spotted a tarantula on the shoulder the other day as i rode by.

 

[Laszlo]

I'm recovering from a form of shin splints and the other night it felt like my right foot was in some ice cold water, the sensation most intense right where you mention yours.

 

[kiwirider]

Go see an osteopath or a massage therapist or an athletic therapist - someone who can assess your structure and can use manual therapy to work it out if necesary. With all due respect to doctors, 99% of them will add nothing in a situation like this.

Odds on chance your nerves are either tight or trapped - especially if you've been pushing big gears and running your seat low (as per your other posts about positioning and cadence). Really quick way to test that out is to do a back bend/cobra pose and see if you get tingling in that area. Also do a slump stretch - sit on the corner of the bed, slump down and put a curve into your back, put your chin towards your chest, then lift your leg parallel and pull your foot gently towards your knee - emphasis on gently!!! If you get tingling or a pain anywhere from the crown of your head to your toes that means that your nerves are tight.

I'd doubt the shin splints idea - like the posters say, it's more a runner thing that comes from the running foot/leg motion (which is really different to what you get in biking). Unless you've got a funny pedaling style, have had an accident of some sort, also run or have some predisposition I'd say that your chances of having torn the anterior tibial muscles is unlikely ...

Oh, and if you haven't done it already - put your seat up to about .883 times your inseam and practise pedalling at 85-100 rpm ...

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Laszlo,

Igazi Magyar vagy? Beszélsz?

If you don't speak, feel free to answer in English.

RDV

 

[wendyveldhuis]

Hi cromagnon,

Well Dude, this is not any serious problem as you are assuming. It might be happen that a slight jerk is there on back during any activity like cycling or running. On other hand , It may be the shin's problem for that try different gels on it. If your problem is still same then immediately contact the good doctor and have a routine check up.Take care while doing any activity and live happily.Don't hesitate to go for doctor and take some good advice. I pray to god that you will come out of this tedious situation.

Thanks

 

[cromagnon]

That was a pleasant post thanks wendy.

It seems to arrive a night but when I initially wake up it's not there unless I stay in bed and doze it starts up. Maybe lying down does something to the back? Damn strange I will do those stretches kiwirider.

Been back in the neutral position for a while now with a higher cadence. Rides are going well and turbo sessions keep progressing no sign of a plateau it's all going well until this stupid thing started up.

 

[awal3207]

wendyveldhuis

Who are you and what do you do?


Why do you think it is nothing serious?

 

[Sheltowee]

I've been doing a lot of miles recently, I can feel a tingling sensation near the bottom of my shinbone. I kept thinking it was a bug crawling on my leg and jumped out of bed.

Pulled the sheets back and no sign of giant tarantula. It started up again after a while and I pulled the covers back, nothing there. I lay there looking at it and it came back. I can feel it right now but not as much as last night.

If I scratch or brush the area with my hand it goes away then gradually comes back, it's not that bad but it's hardly what I'd call pleasant especially for trying to sleep. Anyone had anything like this? I'm worried it's actually damage in another area that's being referred to the shin by the complex nerve circuitry. I'll go to the doc but they generally don't give a toss the second I mention cycling she'll say "stop cycling, thank you, bye".

Your body's probably telling you it's a little over trained. Rest and the tingling should stop. I get Jimmy legs when I over train.

 

[HL2037]

When the skin on the shinbone starts to tingle or itch without anything touching it, the reason usually is, that the nerve that innervates this patch of skin is being irritated somewhere along its path. The phenomenon is known as "paresthesias". Other signs can be numbness, feeling of warm or cold, burning sensation or pain.

The path of the nerve goes from the spinal canal through the pelvis and down the leg. Usually the irritation occurs in one of two places:

1) Where the nerve leaves the spinal canal. Here a discus can bulge out and press on the nerve (discus prolapse)

2) Where the nerve passes under the piriformis muscle deep in the pelvis. If this muscle is tight, it can press on the nerve.

Both things can happen when you cycle a lot or increase training a lot. The stretches suggested by Kiwirider are actually tests for discus prolapse. If you went to your doctor, he or she would probably perform these tests on you.

To prevent discus prolapse, one should train the back and abdominal muscles as a supplement to cycling training.

To prevent tightness in the piriformis muscle be sure to stretch it out after training.

 

[kiwirider]

The stretches suggested by Kiwirider are actually tests for discus prolapse. If you went to your doctor, he or she would probably perform these tests on you.

That they are ... but when carried out on a regular enough basis (eg., 10 times per leg, two or three times per day) they are useful as a nerve stretch as well. Often "prescribed" as such by doctors and physical/structural medicine practitioners back in NZ ...