I highly recommend paying Bill Peterson of Foot Fitness a visit if you’re considering custom insoles or in need of an improved bike fit. Bill is a certified pedorthist and has years of experience working with professional cyclists. I paid Bill a visit last week and he went ahead and made some adjustments to my cleats. He also took molds of my feet and just a couple days later I had some custom insoles. In just a single ride I noticed how solid my hips felt. Now a few days later with a couple hard workouts in my legs I notice how my right leg also goes straight up and down. No more crazy wobbles. No discomfort in the knees either. But most importantly, I haven’t felt a twinge of pain in my back.

I was also thrilled about how the insoles matched my shoes–but I’m pretty sure this is just coincidence.

If you enlarge the above photo you may notice how Bill built a small lift into my left insole–now that’s custom.

Here’s why I’m so thrilled about no back pain:
My back was never a serious issue in my head. Once in awhile, with no real trigger I’d get a discomfort in my low left back. It was always the same spot. I’d just remedy the problem with a quick on-the-bike stretch and I’d be good to go. In a race, interval, or group ride–where stretching isn’t an option–the pain would intensify but I never believed it was a serious distraction.

Then, I raced the Nature Valley Grand Prix as part of the Ryan’s Collegiate All Star Team. The problem started here. I lowered my stem for the time trial, and left it there. The following day’s stage was the Mankato Road Race; which was 90-something fast miles and had a finishing circuit with climb steep enough to cause some damage. So, most of the damage occurred to my back. I could hardly move after the race the pain was so bad.

Fast forward. My back turned out to be a huge distraction. It was a limiting factor while training–I wasn’t finishing my intervals, I wasn’t having fun. I loved hitting red lights out riding because I could stretch. I tried massage. More stretching.

TJ insisted I see a physical therapist. As I was in Boulder, CO for the summer I visited Ann Trombley. She did an evaluation, we knew there was a leg length discrepancy but there was something else going on too. I ended up getting some x-rays at the Boulder Center For Sports Medicine. Here’s what they found:
– 11mm leg length discrepancy. I have a short(er) left leg.
– A partially sacralized L6 vertebrae with inflamation on the left side
-Hmmmm. I guess this explained all the hurt.
Anyway, it turns out most of that leg length difference is in the femur so a simple lift won’t fix the entire problem. So Bill moved my left cleat forward, and my right cleat back–effectively straightening things out. Those small adjustments, coupled with the new insoles have dramatically improved my riding position. I now sit still with my hips square, and my legs aren’t doing anything too funky. Once again, I highly recommend Bill Peterson of Foot Fitness.