Fixing upper hamstring / hamstring tendinopathy
02-11-26 | 06:13 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 49
Likes: 30
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
Bikes: Sworks Aethos and Roubaix, Specialized Tramac Pro, Trek 5500, Cervelo P2C, Specialized Stumpjumper
Fixing upper hamstring / hamstring tendinopathy
Anyone have any silver bullets for addressing hamstring tendinopathy? Dealing with it for 1.5 years, off the bike for the last 10 months.
Doing ice, heat, stretching, PT, and strength training. Doctor says continue doing each, advised against shots, acupuncture, or injections.
Taking forever to heal.. Curious if any silver bullets.
thx
Doing ice, heat, stretching, PT, and strength training. Doctor says continue doing each, advised against shots, acupuncture, or injections.
Taking forever to heal.. Curious if any silver bullets.
thx
02-12-26 | 06:19 AM
#2
Full Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 307
Likes: 99
From: Vermont
Bikes: Kona Libre
I had a proximal hamstring tendonopathy over a year ago as a result of overdoing it while running. It took many months to get back to normal. Fortunately it never affected me when biking, only running (and sitting!) You’ll find a ton of YouTube videos about dealing with PHT, mostly involving body weight exercises. I chose to follow the advice of Brodie Sharpe, an Australian trainer. He has a podcast series devoted to this injury. His website has information, plus he does a free consult (subsequent sessions involve a fee). Sharpe is dismissive of body weight exercises and prescribes a more aggressive program involving weights. Sounds like you’ve been doing some of this, so I might not be offering anything new. It seemed to work for me. Of course I have no idea how I would have fared with another approach. Stretching your hamstring - or too much of it - is not a good thing; the thinking being it’s already too stretched.
02-12-26 | 11:29 AM
#3
Facts just confuse people
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 19,245
Likes: 7,013
From: Mississippi
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Did you get it from riding your bike or are there other factors involved? Regardless, on your bike, most all of your pedaling should be in a gear ratio that will seem ridiculously easy to some that are use to muscling as much power into the cranks as they can. Speed and power come from your ability to maintain a fast RPM. Not struggling at 60 RPM or less to keep up with everyone else.
02-12-26 | 03:46 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 49
Likes: 30
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
Bikes: Sworks Aethos and Roubaix, Specialized Tramac Pro, Trek 5500, Cervelo P2C, Specialized Stumpjumper
I had a proximal hamstring tendonopathy over a year ago as a result of overdoing it while running. It took many months to get back to normal. Fortunately it never affected me when biking, only running (and sitting!) You’ll find a ton of YouTube videos about dealing with PHT, mostly involving body weight exercises. I chose to follow the advice of Brodie Sharpe, an Australian trainer. He has a podcast series devoted to this injury. His website has information, plus he does a free consult (subsequent sessions involve a fee). Sharpe is dismissive of body weight exercises and prescribes a more aggressive program involving weights. Sounds like you’ve been doing some of this, so I might not be offering anything new. It seemed to work for me. Of course I have no idea how I would have fared with another approach. Stretching your hamstring - or too much of it - is not a good thing; the thinking being it’s already too stretched.
I’m eager to hear his view on electro shock therapy. A local chiropractor offers it. I’ll checkout his podcasts too.
My problem started about 2 or 3 years ago as a minor annoyance to full fledge pain after a 100 mile ride in Sept ‘24. Bad enough to see doctors. My cadence is typically between 90 - 100 per min.
