Orthotics are heavy

research: do I need to use them?

It is generally accepted that if the knee can be made to track straight up and down during cycling, with little medial or lateral migration of the knee, then more efficient cycling mechanics will result. In my experience this can best be accomplished by placing orthoses and/or forefoot wedging into the shoe, adding frontal plane wedges to the cleats, adding shims to the cleats, and adjusting the bike fit. In addition, to other parameters that need to be assessed in the cycling evaluation, STJ axis deviation must be noted. STJ axis location has been experimentally shown to affect the knee joint moments that, in turn, affect medial and lateral knee movement during cycling (Ruby P, Hull ML, Kirby KA, Jenkins DW: The effect of lower-limb anatomy on knee loads during seated cycling. J Biomech, 25 (10): 1195-1207, 1992). I believe that medially deviated STJ axes often result in medial knee migration during the power stroke due to the STJ pronation moments generated by the pedal reaction force during this important part of the pedal cycle.
from http://www.podiatry-arena.com/podiatry-forum/showthread.php?t=3315

or
Firstly it is important to note that an unnecessary and unwarranted orthotic will do nothing more than limit performance. Remember that, like you superlight superfast wheelset, cycling shoes and in turn orthotics are a rotating mass, and will slow you down. Therefore if there is no pending reason for their implication then perhaps you should be asking some questions.
Some of you may have had orthotics in the past, either prescribed by a podiatrist for your day to day footwear, or for sport shoes and more likely running footwear (or both). If this is the case, then please note that this doesn’t automatically mean you need an orthotic for your cycling shoes as well
from http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2009/04/orthotics-for-cycling/

Fork Repair 1

My Fox F100 32 fork doesn't extend after compression. The air pressure is still high, so that's not the problem.

I'm gathering info from the Fox site and planning an attack on the innards of the fork.

Need:
Fox suspension fluid.

Apparently I need to turn the bike upside down to let oil seep into the seals and foam thingy.

Icebike 12

Icebike 12. My fourth. J's third, and T's second. Fun!

Tendinitis? Tendinosis? LDL?

from this forum:

BrukBallenger

12-14-2004, 07:48 PM

The first thing to do is get past the misdiagnosis of "tendinitis," and realize that it is now likely "tendinosis." Treating it as an inflamed tendon will be, for the most part, useless. An "-itis" will typically resolve with rest. Yours has been around for far too long, and with most cases of chronic achilles "tendinitis," it is acually tendinosis. Tendinosis is usually a focal degeneration of the fibers and/or cells of the tendon that decreases the tendon's ability to withstand normal forces. This may in turn cause inflammation, but studies show that a chronic achilles tendinopathy usually shows little or no inflammation at all.

I have treated a lot of patients with this problem including myself. The treatment is usually fairly simple with one disclaimer (later). Since I have not had the opportunity to evaluate your injury I will give you my most basic recipe for treatment;

Stair-step heel raises (working the calf); Stand on a stair-step on the balls of your feet, slowly lower heel below step, then raise heel as high as you can.
- Work in entire range of motion of the ankle.
- Use a slow and controlled motion, pausing for 2 seconds at the top and bottom of the motion.
- Start by using both feet at the same time.
- Start by doing repetitions until you feel a good amount of muscle fatigue. If you can do 20 repetitions, add a second set.
- Start with only one session per day max, ever.
- When you can do 2 sets of 20 reps using both feet, start doing the first set on one leg only, then the second set with both feet.
- You may experience increased calf/tendon soreness for the first week or so, it will get better.
- Finish with easy 30 second calf stretches for the gastroc and soleus.
- It is best to put other stressful activities on hold for the first 2-3 weeks at least, this means running. Cycling may be ok, but keep the gears high resistance low, and cadence slow (75-90 rpm), ensure that cycling does not impair your recovery from the heel raises.
- When you can do 20 reps on one leg without undue soreness or fatigue, then start doing short, easy runs. Gradually start to increase your running workloads.
- As you resume your running and cycling workloads, decrease the frequency of the calf work to 2-3 times per week, but keep them up.

The disclaimer:
You may have biomechanical or other musculoskeletal issues that are overstressing your achilles, these may need to be addressed before you acheive full recovery.
A skill deficit may also propagate this injury. If you have even a small flaw in your running pattern or pedalling stroke, for example, then you may be overstressing the tendon there also.

As someone else mentioned, tendinosis may be a precursor to rupture, so be dilligent with your treamtent. It is probably not wise to run through the pain.

Good luck!

Elsewhere I read use cold on tendinitis, hot on tendinosis.

Laser Disc Lite hub contact here. I sent them an email question about the forward freewheeling.

Holidays

We are in Boissevain, having just spent a fine three days together with most of the Martens clan. I say most, on account of:

• K and M continue to struggle with some serious health related issues.
• Mr. Kincaid needed to stay in Seattle to work (and possibly avoid snow and sub-freezing temps).
• Mrs. Kincaid was only half there, due to her heavy schedule of visiting the restroom and sleeping off the latest virus.
• and last but not least (well, they are the least in terms of size) P & M. They're still illegal to bring to Canada. But we thought of them and missed them!

Kludge?

My eyes were opened to my long-lost brethren in creative repair and other solutions yesterday. Dad sent me a link to thereifixedit.com. What revelation! What kinship! I am not alone in my need to make and do things with ingenuity and thrift.

I need therefore, to share my latest workaround for cycling training. Why spend unnecessary time and money at a gym when you can make a leg press?

Sit Here.

Push on this 5/8 plywood.This structure transmits the force from your legs to the load.
Through this linkage.
And lifts it off the floor. If you plug it in you can have entertainment whilst you work out.What is a kludge anyway?

RD Funny?

Ramona always has our family's best interests in mind. Whenever I come home with a good joke or story, she groans and says "RD funny?" Meaning - could you submit that to Reader's Digest and get us some cash?

Here's a funny thing that happened at school. I just submitted it online to rd.ca. See what you think (if anyone besides me reads this).

Sixth grade students collect and recycle pop cans in our school. Partially full cans are emptied into a bucket. An eighth grade student said "Drink some. It's really sweet." When there was no response, he put the bucket to his lips and took a good swig. "Mmm. It tastes good!" As he walked away, they looked at him with a mixture of disgust and awe. In true junior high fashion, it was only a few minutes later that I glimpsed the can collectors gathering around and testing it for themselves.

I think it needs a snappier ending to be rd funny.

In other news, my weight training is on hold. I think I strained a muscle in my back when I was trying to get a 70 lb bag of cement into my backpack.

Did I mention I'm too cheap to go to the gym?

Our trip to Ethiopia is also on hold. The powers that be (Canadian High Council in Nairobi?) didn't like the birth certificates supplied for P and M. They want new ones, to be issued from their region of origin. Hmm. I'm thinking remote corner of the country, mud huts, jungle. Print me a nice official document on a piece of forest vegetation please.

That's an exaggeration. I know there are regional authorities and courts. I just hope it doesn't take too long.