Make Sure Your Bike Fitter Checks This During Your Fits | Shims and Low Back Pain

This week we explore how pelvis rocking on the bike causing excessive low back fatigue and poor efficiency on the bike. This cyclist presented with a leg length difference. We look at how leg length shims/stacks affect her cycling biomechanics.
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Keywords: physio burnaby vancouver bike fit physiotherapy assessment physiotherapist dry needling IMS gait assessment biomechanics manual therapy IMS acupuncture exercise prescription rehabilitation

[@kulaarmatnia84]

Looks like a great fit! In my bikefit experience if left side pelvic tilt is combined with leftside forward rotation then it is nice to try asymetric shim. Left foot 1deg. up from inside and right side 1 deg up from outside. But it is no general rule. Great chanel keep going!

[@ecphysiotherapy8012]

Great call Lukasz, I'll need to trial asymmetrically shimming. Thanks for sharing your expertise!

[@joeackermanj]

Was hers a structural leg length difference or functional? If it were functional vs structural would you still shim??

[@ShadowzKiller]

Does that mean the saddle would go up a few mm? I would think that some people have their saddle set either low or high to compensate.

[@chenzhuo8804]

Nice video! Was she having pain on one side or both? I have similar problem(right side lower back pain), and I highly suspect it is leg discrepancy issue

[@cantgofast]

me too,because my left leg issues shorter

[@ruimendonca1497]

Hello, EC Physiotherapy and thank you for sharing your knowledge, I also have this problem, I would like to ask you if after putting the shims on, we will always have to use them, or later the hip will return to normal and after a while we will remove the wedge? thanks

[@richeeg3271]

It depends on what you're correcting with the shim. If you're correcting a functional leg discrepancy (tighter muscles on one leg), it's probably going to change over time. If you're correcting only structural differences (bone length), that will not change. More often then not, it's a combination of both though

[@joelsoto1849]

I’ll eventually dial it in, but currently been trying to figure out which leg is the issue. Was trying 3mm right, now left. Not sure if body has adapted to relying on longer leg or protecting the shorter leg. Could be either from my understanding.

[@DevelopingNL]

Do you think arch support is needed in cycling? Specialized and Bontrager/superfeet use different approaches. Which one would you recommend?

[@ecphysiotherapy8012]

Hey Martin, I think arch support is useful for those with hotspots/pressure points on their feet while cycling. For example, those with high arches and have discomfort and pressure onto the ball or heel. Another situation where arch support can be beneficial is where flat feet is causing the knee to roll inwards while pedaling.

[@attybong]

i think that could also be corrected by merely lowering the saddle by 3 to 6mm ..

[@ecphysiotherapy8012]

Hi AkoSi, I like the way you're thinking. I've trialed lowering the saddle to the point where there was not enough knee extension and patella discomfort with pedaling yet her pelvis was still shifting. The shims seemed to help the most to stabilize her pelvis.

[@MsTatakai]

@@ecphysiotherapy8012 interesting indeed... how about someone who doesn't use clip ?

[@eecc]

@@MsTatakai You can build up the height on the pedal itself, or wear an extra pair of insoles in the shoes of the shorter side.

[@MsTatakai]

@@eecc thank you

[@sreekanth4805]

How to fix it for normal long commuters like me I am using ordinary sport shoes

[@BikeToDaily]

in my case, i have a leg length difference (Left short than right) and i can't to use cleat shoe and length shims because i bike to work and very traffic jam (i'm from Thailand). I wear sneakers to ride a bike.
how i fix this problem

[@ecphysiotherapy8012]

Hello! Take an insole from an old pair of shoes and try to use an extra insole in the shoe with your shorter leg. Alternatively, you can try to remove the insole in your shoe with the longer leg. Let me know how that works out for you.

[@BikeToDaily]

@@ecphysiotherapy8012 Thank you so much

[@mr2law]

@@ecphysiotherapy8012 could he use a shorter crank on the left side only?

[@daverebosura2840]

wow

[@ecphysiotherapy8012]

Hi Dave, glad you're enjoying the content