delayed leg pain after a long tour

[jackt]

Recently back from a longish cycle camping tour (the Raid Pyreneean Touriste version plus about 600km in southern & central France). I felt absolutely fine throughout the tour, with days ranging from 80km and lots of climbing to 160km on the flat, fully loaded touring bike.

At the end of the tour I felt fine too, and for the next three days. But on the fourth day after stopping, I had severe pains in one leg (mostly the thigh), then for the next three days - to now - both thighs. Pain is worst when walking or riding, bending knees. Feels like a deep pain in the muscles of the thigh (front and back) that shoots as far as the knee and the buttock. So bad at times that I'm barely walking.

Iboprofen and hot baths provide some symtomatic relief. But it's not getting noticeably any better with time.

Any ideas on (1) what this is (2) how to treat it and (3) how to prevent it in the future would be MUCH appreciated!

Thanks!

Jack

[lauriematt]

if the pain is muscular...

...there is something called DOMS

which is the Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness

the idea behind this, is that after a hard workout session you wont immediately feel the strain in the muscles...instead you might only feel the strain on the muscles a day or two after!

i personally experience this whenever i do local running races. my legs feel fine straight after the race...but a day or two after my legs are strained and the muscles hurt.

[jackt]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I'm fairly familar with DOMS. I get it after a hard run, especially if I've not been running much. Also sometimes after playing football. Tends to be worst two days after the exercise.

But this is a bit different - and much more painful! Much more of a delayed onset and a kind of stabbing pain rather than a general ache of DOMS.

[Wildduck]

Dare I suggest you go and see you GP to get it checked out?

[jackt]

of course going to the GP would be the wisest move...

but then again, hot baths and ibuprofen seem to have done the trick.

A full seven days after the end of the ride I'm still feeling some pain and it gets very bad if I do too much (walking more than 500m quickly or riding quickly). But now it feels a lot more like typical delayed muscle soreness that I've had before from running or playing football.

Very interesting that the delay should have been so long and the pain so severe, perhaps it was all just in proportion to the significant effort over the 3 weeks.

[lauriematt]

of course going to the GP would be the wisest move...

but then again, hot baths and ibuprofen seem to have done the trick.

A full seven days after the end of the ride I'm still feeling some pain and it gets very bad if I do too much (walking more than 500m quickly or riding quickly). But now it feels a lot more like typical delayed muscle soreness that I've had before from running or playing football.

Very interesting that the delay should have been so long and the pain so severe, perhaps it was all just in proportion to the significant effort over the 3 weeks.

is it muscular...or does it feel a little deeper than that???

i find sometimes after a VERY hard ride home ( 8miles ) that it almost feels like its something deeper than the muscles that hurts

[reohn2]

Do massage and stretch after riding?