Four weeks ago I crashed during a gravel event and while lying on the road looking up at
the sky the right rear part of my neck (levator scapulae??) was very “stiff”, my right arm was numb and when I went to get up several seconds later my left hamstring completely cramped up. The arm numbness, presumably a slight AC separation, and cramping subsided quickly. My neck was stiff but, I was easily ably to ride out the last 15 miles.
Fast forward the last few weeks…the neck feels much better but, still gets slightly stiff (feels like helmet too tight if you have experienced) on longer rides (3+ hours). My arm is fine, but when ever I do hard efforts (think 5 min max power) my left hamstring will start to cramp. During a race yesterday (3 hours 1500Kgs=not unusual…I do them weekly) I had to stop and get a piece of wire out of the rear spokes. When I stopped the left hamstring cramped hard. No bike fit changes recently.
Question: Is it possible or have any you experienced referred cramping in hamstrings from a neck injury?
I’ll see a specialist later this week but, in the meantime I’m interested to read any info you guys have to offer. Racing and/or fast hard rides it is becoming an issue (hamstring cramping) and has only started happening since the crash four weeks ago. Many thanks! Cheers.
Outside of anything extreme like a broken vertebrae pinching a nerve or something (which is probably something I’d get looked at if my neck hurt and I had a numb arm) you might have pulled your hamstring in the crash.
Have an appointment with an Orthopedist this Friday…
After the crash I went to urgent care as I had some lacerations that needed sutures. I mentioned the neck, but, the Doctor didn’t say much after hands on and talking with me. Regarding my arm the they thought AC separation. With out imagining it’s difficult to say 100%. I’ve had other Doctor/cycling friends say the same thing when I described the whole incident. Overall, the urgent care seemed more concerned about cleaning me up and getting me sutured up and out the door…
As to the “cramping” I thought of a contusion but, I have no bruising. Wether a level 1 strain or cramp I’m not sure. Friday can’t come soon enough. Google is amazing but, my lack of expertise inn these matters makes it more worrisome than anything.
Spend 10min on there and before you know it, you’re terminally ill with an incurable illness with only days to live.
Checking w/my magic 8 ball:
Neck and arm numbness: “Yes Definitely”
Neck and hamstring cramp: “My Sources Say No”
Car smacked me good a few years back and broke my C6. Prior to that I had another incident that resulted in the disc between C5 and C6 or maybe C6 and C7 blow out. In both incidences, my right arm experienced numbness and/or severe pain (like fire or electricity going down my arm from the shoulder). BUT, I never had a hamstring cramp
Spend 10min on there and before you know it, you’re terminally ill with an incurable illness with only days to live.