Concept2 Forum

I have been rowing on and off for a couple of years and have really taken to it seriously since buying my own C2.<br />My problem is I get really painful tops of hamstrings/bottom of glutes when rowing, mainly on my right side and pins and needles/dead foot in my right foot after about 3-5k.<br />I am generally very flexible, stretch regularly and frankly its really getting on my nerves and stopping me improving.<br /><br />Any suggestions?

Do you encounter this problem with any other form of exercise? Have you seen a doctor or a physiotherapist? Perhaps this should be your first step to resolve the problem, because continuing to exercise may cause further injury.<br /><br />There have also been suggestions on other threads that this kind of problem can be relieved by padding the seat, with a purpose built pad such as those available from the Concept 2 website, or with improvised pads made from bubble wrap or some other suitably padded material.<br /><br />If you have access to a gym, you could try exercising on the Leg Press and Leg Curl machines. Obviously, I don't know if you are familiar with this equipment and the exercises, but if not, make sure you get some advice and/or supervision from the gym staff. You don't want to further injure yourself. I would suggest that you should start off with light weights and high reps, then gradually increase the weight to see if the problem recurs with either exercise. These two exercises should enable you to isolate the quads and hamstrings and if you do hit the same condition with either exercise, you may be in a better position to pinpoint the problem.

Make sure that you stretch those muscles well AFTER erging and warm up and cool down a bit too. Good nutrition and hydration can also help muscle problems like that because you'll speed your recovery time. Also make sure the muscles are strong in that area and DEFINATLY ask a PT or DR. <br /><br />

Unfortunately I am a qualified PT and am unable to diagnose myself! I get this pain in no other exercise and a physio cant find a solution. I am going to invest in a seat pad as I do have quite a bony arse and this dont help.

Three things come to mind when I get sore hamstrings.<br /><br />1. The feet might be too high. Try a lower setting.<br /><br />2. You are spending too much energy rushing up the slide. Try not to rush the recovery.<br /><br />3. Your floor is not level and the front end of the erg is too high forcing you to pull your way back to the catch.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Paul Flack

<!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Jul 28 2005, 05:55 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Jul 28 2005, 05:55 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Unfortunately I am a qualified PT and am unable to diagnose myself! I get this pain in no other exercise and a physio cant find a solution. I am going to invest in a seat pad as I do have quite a bony arse and this dont help. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I feel your pain. Had the same problem when starting to erg except no pins and needles. Got advice from many on stretching or you'll get used to it but only proper padding works for me. I started out experimenting with bubble wrap and folded towels which helped but not enough. I wanted to row marathons so I worked may way up to 3 layers of waffle foam sleeping pad used by backpackers. Cut oblong holes to keep the pressure off the tops of my hamstrings and it works great. I have 2 of these pads with slightly different shapes cut out and swap the pads during the marathon once or twice if I start to feel uncomfortable. Try it you'll like it.<br /><br />Frank

<!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Jul 27 2005, 01:53 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Jul 27 2005, 01:53 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My problem is I get really painful tops of hamstrings/bottom of glutes when rowing, mainly on my right side and pins and needles/dead foot in my right foot after about 3-5k.<br />Any suggestions? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hi,<br />Have you tried any strapless rowing? You may be pulling yourself up the slide too much which will get to the hamstrings. There are MANY threads about this if you're new to it.<br /><br />Good luck,<br />DB

<!--QuoteBegin-Debra+Jul 29 2005, 07:47 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Debra @ Jul 29 2005, 07:47 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Jul 27 2005, 01:53 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Jul 27 2005, 01:53 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My problem is I get really painful tops of hamstrings/bottom of glutes when rowing, mainly on my right side and pins and needles/dead foot in my right foot after about 3-5k.<br />Any suggestions? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hi,<br />Have you tried any strapless rowing? You may be pulling yourself up the slide too much which will get to the hamstrings. There are MANY threads about this if you're new to it.<br /><br />Good luck,<br />DB <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />i used to get the "dead foot" feeling too just like you talked about. but now that i think about it i never do anymore. havent changed anything. dont know exactly why that happens. i thought it might be tying the straps real tight on your feet and doing a long row, i dont know.

<!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Jul 27 2005, 01:53 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Jul 27 2005, 01:53 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I have been rowing on and off for a couple of years and have really taken to it seriously since buying my own C2.<br />My problem is I get really painful tops of hamstrings/bottom of glutes when rowing, mainly on my right side and pins and needles/dead foot in my right foot after about 3-5k.<br />I am generally very flexible, stretch regularly and frankly its really getting on my nerves and stopping me improving.<br /><br />Any suggestions? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Gibbo, don't bother about seeing a Physio or bubble wrapping your arse as some of the responses have suggested. Although they mean well and are trying to be helpful, I can tell you from experience, it won't make any difference to your problem.<br /><br />The sleeping foot, sore tops of hams and gluts feelings you are experiencing happens to many novice on water rowers with poor technique and balance in the boat. Due to the technique flaws you are not co-ordinating the major muscle groups required for the rowing stroke correctly. This in turn necessitates the utilization of certain muscles to compensate others eventually leading to a combination of sleeping and sore muscles. Seeing a Physio or Doctor won't fix your problem but getting a good rowing coach to look at your technique should.<br /><br />Using bubble wrap is only a band-aid solution hence you really need to get to the root of the problem and fix the technique. Trying strapless rowing and erging next to a mirror will certainly be helpful.<br /><br /><br />Keep it smooth, keep it relaxed<br /><br />Roland Baltutis

After much experimenting in the end I have gone with a C2 seatpad which has solved the numb arse and some dynamic streching exercises for my glutes and hamstrings which seems to have pretty much solved the problems albeit some days when you get to 36 you just hurt anyway!<br /><br />Thanks for all the advice, its great to have so many opinions on the same subjects.

This sounds to me more like a sciatic nerve problem than a muscle problem. You might try a chiropractor for an evaluation.

<!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Aug 16 2005, 10:08 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Aug 16 2005, 10:08 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->After much experimenting in the end I have gone with a C2 seatpad which has solved the numb arse and some dynamic streching exercises for my glutes and hamstrings which seems to have pretty much solved the problems albeit some days when you get to 36 you just hurt anyway!<br />. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />I have had similar problems since May, but it wasn't caused by erging. 4 years of using the Concept2 and running never bothered my buttocks/hamstrings.<br />What did mine was adding a lot of hilly cycling this summer, and not getting out the saddle enough to stretch the muscles. I only used the ergo once or twice a week during the last 4 months. It got to the point were getting up from my seat at work was so painful until I got moving, I also had very localised soreness in the right buttock. Prior to cycling I could touch my toes easy, after 4 months of cycling, I was 6-9 inches short of touching them.<br /><br />I saw a physio for the first time in years, and she could feel a lump in the buttocks, some pretty painful massage followed along with the friction machine has done lots of good. I have stretched loads the last month, and can now get my hands nearly flat on the floor, stretching was something I had ignored.<br />Started back on the erg a bit more, buttocks and hamstrings almost recovered.<br />Moral for me is stretch, stretch, stretch.<br /><br />Good luck<br /><br />Steve<br />GB 54LW (soon 55 !) 67Kg Bronze BIRC 2004

<!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Jul 26 2005, 11:53 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Jul 26 2005, 11:53 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Any suggestions? [right] </td></tr></table><br />There is probably not much wrong, with the exception your shorts are too tight.<br /><br />Use cycling shorts for rowing, or similar shorts that are roomy and flexible in the butt.

<!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Aug 16 2005, 06:08 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Aug 16 2005, 06:08 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->After much experimenting in the end I have gone with a C2 seatpad which has solved the numb arse and some dynamic streching exercises for my glutes and hamstrings which seems to have pretty much solved the problems albeit some days when you get to 36 you just hurt anyway! <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Wait until you hit 46! My wife tells me I'm a numb arse all the time, and I only wish something would tingle now and again!<br /><br />

<!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Aug 22 2005, 03:35 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Aug 22 2005, 03:35 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-gibbo1969+Jul 26 2005, 11:53 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gibbo1969 @ Jul 26 2005, 11:53 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Any suggestions? [right] </td></tr></table><br />There is probably not much wrong, with the exception your shorts are too tight.<br /><br />Use cycling shorts for rowing, or similar shorts that are roomy and flexible in the butt. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />sorry John but that is clearly bollox.<br />Unless I was wearing shorts that are so tight they are like a tornaquet it makes no difference. As it happens I get this problems whatever kind of shorts I wear including padded cycling shorts and normal running shorts.