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I both cycle and run. I upped my mileage on both my cycling and running this week and now am feeling some discomfort (some achiness and stiffness) in one hip (the side rather more towards the front than the back). I am thinking it might be some mild tendonitis or incipient overuse injury brought on by my relatively sudden increase in activity.
I am wondering if I should pull back on cycling or on the running, or both, or stop the cycling (temporarily) while keeping on with the running or keeping on with the cycling while stopping the running (temporarily). That kind of thing. I think that cycling involves my hips more, but is also gentler (less pounding), whereas running in the opposite.
(BTW, I am also incorporating some more hip stretches into my stretching routine).
I'll turn 68 in a few months and bike ride on average 4 or 5 times per week, 28 to 35 miles per bike ride. It adds up to about 6500 to 7000 miles per year.
I did a lot of trail running in prior years, especially age 30 to 50. I ran on dirt trails more than on pavement because it was a bit easier on the body. Of course I had good running shoes too. I was also a bike rider in those years, but on average a bit less than now. Running IMO puts more strain on the knees and lower body than riding on a properly adjusted bike. The key words are properly adjusted.
Riding on a bike that is not adjusted right, not the right size for the rider or on a saddle that is not right for the rider can cause a lot of pain and suffering. When I go for a ride, I usually don't feel pain or strain during or after the ride. And my rides are not on flat terrain - not much of that in my current home base location. However, my bike fits me well, just right in fact.
I don't do any stretches before or after my bike rides. Last year and earlier this year, I had some discomfort in my right hip, but it has disappeared. Not sure what the cause of the hip pain was, but glad it went away.
I both cycle and run. I upped my mileage on both my cycling and running this week and now am feeling some discomfort (some achiness and stiffness) in one hip (the side rather more towards the front than the back). I am thinking it might be some mild tendonitis or incipient overuse injury brought on by my relatively sudden increase in activity.
I am wondering if I should pull back on cycling or on the running, or both, or stop the cycling (temporarily) while keeping on with the running or keeping on with the cycling while stopping the running (temporarily). That kind of thing. I think that cycling involves my hips more, but is also gentler (less pounding), whereas running in the opposite.
(BTW, I am also incorporating some more hip stretches into my stretching routine).
That's it. It's too much volume too fast.
IF your bike isn't set up right, high volume can make your hips miserable. When my Q factor is too wide, it's horrible.
In a properly setup bike, stress on hips should be MUCH less than running; no impact.
Setup factors that could stress hips are crank length (Most bikes these days have cranks that are too long for the frame size; I'm 5'10" and the correct crank length for me is 165-170 mm but most bikes that fit me come off the shelf with 175 or 180 mm) and "tread width/Q factor" - the distance between two pedals. Most bikes today put your feet way too far apart.
In a properly setup bike, stress on hips should be MUCH less than running; no impact.
Setup factors that could stress hips are crank length (Most bikes these days have cranks that are too long for the frame size; I'm 5'10" and the correct crank length for me is 165-170 mm but most bikes that fit me come off the shelf with 175 or 180 mm) and "tread width/Q factor" - the distance between two pedals. Most bikes today put your feet way too far apart.
You are spot-on correct. I am 184 cm / 6'0" and I use a 170 mm crank. I am somewhat tall in the torso vs. legs so 170 mm fits me fine. My bottom bracket is also narrower because my bike was designed for cassettes with maximum 9/10 speeds. The new bikes with 11/12 speed have wider bottom brackets that push out the Q factor, due to the wider rear hubs.
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