Question from TOUR reader Carsten Sch.: I cycle around 5,000 kilometres a year on my road bike. I regularly get cramps in my left foot after about 70 kilometres. All the foot gymnastics have not helped so far. I also have scoliosis of the spine. Since I've been riding a leather saddle from Brooks, I've noticed that my pelvis compresses much more on the left than on the right. Could a pelvic misalignment be the cause of the foot problems on the left? Is there anything I can do about it?
Answer from Dr Christian Merkl: A distinction must be made between an actual and a functional leg length difference: in the former, one leg is shorter than the other, either congenitally or due to an injury. Functional leg length discrepancy results from an altered position of the sacrum in relation to the ilium. Muscle pulls and chains play a role here, forcing the pelvic bones into compensatory positions due to incorrect tension.
Initially, the tissue and bones adapt without pain. If the misalignment persists, the adaptation usually damages the tissue, resulting in swelling and an increased tendency to spasm in the muscles. If the tissue tension increases further, for example due to tension or pressure from the abdominal cavity, the system eventually becomes unbalanced, which can be recognised, for example, by pain in the sacroiliac joint. Ultimately, physiological chains of tension are to blame for disorders of the musculoskeletal system, according to the osteopathic theory.
theory.
According to her, pelvic obliquity should not be treated with heel or shoe elevation, as previously recommended. It is better to look for the altered tension chain and correct it manually and with physiotherapy.
