Q&A with Katie Compton: ‘I cannot bend my legs’

by Andrew Hood

Katie Compton was America’s best chance to medal at the women’s cyclocross world championships, but searing leg pain has again torpedoed her longtime dream of capturing the rainbow jersey. Compton suffered similar issues at the 2008 world championships in Treviso, Italy.

Compton

Despite not being able to ride her bike for nearly three weeks, Compton decided to start Saturday’s race simply to see what happened. Unfortunately, the pain was so strong she could barely turn the pedals and she pulled out after one lap.

VeloNews caught up with Compton inside the U.S. team hut after her frustrating early exit to talk about her mysterious condition and how she’s fighting to overcome the debilitating pain. Here are excerpts from the interview:

VeloNews: Tell us about the decision to start despite the problems you’ve been having.

Katie Compton: I knew coming in that even finishing was hopeful. I hadn’t ridden in a couple of weeks and I’ve been having the leg pain pretty consistently, but I was trying to be optimistic. I tried to do one lap, it wasn’t pretty. I got on the rollers for 10 minutes, which was progress because that was the longest I’ve been able to ride in two weeks, so I thought, maybe I can push through it. As soon as I got going, I knew. Sometimes I can push through it and the pain is tolerable, but today I knew there was no way I could do it. When I am sitting in 40th spot, what’s the point, really? I just pulled out at the bottom of the course and came back.

VN: How frustrating must that be?

KC: Frustrating is an understatement. It’s hard. It’s difficult, discouraging and disappointing. I just tried to do the best I could, and today it was one lap. I cannot bend my legs. I cannot turn my pedals over. I think it’s harder for me mentally than physically.

VN: When did you last race?

KC: I haven’t raced since Zolder. I came home for some training, but I was suffering with some bronchitis through December and the first part of January. Once that was good, I was able to do a little bit of training. It was the travel and the overall fatigue from the season. It’s just too much travel back and forth, the jet lag. I was pushing it this year to see what I can do. It was too much.

VN: You’ve been unable to determine the cause of the muscle problems?

KC: No, that’s very difficult just to deal with that part of it. We’ve been using stretching and massage to try to bring me around sometimes. It helps, but it didn’t help enough today. We’re going to see someone in Boulder when we get back. It’s muscle trigger point therapy, so we’re going to try that. We’re going to play it by ear and hope for a better season next year. We’re not staying here (for the remainder of ’cross season), we’re flying home Wednesday.

VN: How long have you experienced this muscle pain?

KC: I’ve been dealing with this since I’ve been a racing. I think my first episode was when I was 18. I deal with it all the time. I just think how much easier this would be if I didn’t have to stress out over my legs. I wish I could just train and travel like a normal person, but I can’t. We’re constantly trying to figure it out. We’re managing it better. I used to have episodes that would last three to four weeks at a time, every eight weeks. Now it’s down to once a year, or even every 18 months. It’s actually much better, but I don’t like looking at it that way. It still sucks.

VN: So it’s certainly bad timing that it was during this period of the world championships. Do you know what triggers it?

KC: I don’t think it’s typical cramping. It’s a really strong burning sensation in my legs. I just cannot bend them. I’ve had cramping from electrolytes and that I can deal with. That’s a little bit of discomfort. This is bad — I haven’t had pain like this ever. It gets worse and worse. A normal cramp comes quick and it hurts. This just builds and builds and builds, until it just cracks me and I cannot bend my legs.

VN: Can you describe the sensation when you’re feeling this discomfort?

KC: It’s like someone just punching you in your legs until you have a charley horse for a couple of weeks or so. It’s happening right now. Right now it’s my quads. Sometimes it’s part of the muscle, sometimes it’s all of the muscle. It moves around. It’s not consistent. I think that’s the hard part. It’s consistently unpredictable. It is frustrating.

VN: Despite the latest problems, how would you characterize this season?

KC: It’s funny, because people keep saying I’ve had this great season, but I haven’t a good race since November. That’s the last time I’ve felt good. Results-wise, I had a great start to the season, but if I did it again, I would probably try not to do as many World Cups. I don’t want to race for third place, I want to race to win. I think next year, I am going to try to pick and choose the races better. Not, ‘ if I can hit the podium, I can retain the overall’ — I hate racing that way.

VN: Is there a lot of pressure to compete in all the World Cups?

KC: It’s easier if your home base is Europe, because you can easily travel to all the World Cups. I could do that if I stayed in Europe all season, but I like racing in the U.S. and I like promoting the U.S. ’cross scene. It’s getting better and better. We’ve got good competition over there now, too. I don’t want to leave the U.S. racing behind. I want to do both. I know I can. I just have to do it better.

VN: On another topic, what’s your reaction to Louisville worlds?

KC: I think it’s awesome. I am really excited about it. Finally, we don’t have to pop over the ocean for the worlds. And more important, it’s time for the U.S. to get a worlds event. The scene is such a growing discipline in the U.S. and there’s so much excitement behind it. I think it’s going to be a great thing, especially having the masters’ as well.

VN: Does that give you a special target to build toward?

KC: I try to keep getting better and better every year. I am going to build toward that and I want to keep doing this as long as my body will let me. I would love to win in my home country, but I just want to win a world championship — anywhere.

  • roadrider
    Katie we in COS have been following your results all year. It was great to see your early results, and sad to see the season come to the end the way it did. We'll be glad to have you and Mark back on the Satudary rides, and we hope you find the problem, before time passes on your chance for the Raibow Jersey. (I know we all would love to see your get it,) Good luck and we'll see you o
  • bradcarlsoncptrtsmmats
    Muscle cramping and tightness is typically a symptom, not the actual cause. Most athletes try to relieve tightness and cramping by stretching the tight muscles. Here is the main problem with that. Muscle tightness is the body's way of protecting antagonistic muscle, (opposite action to the tightness) from making itself worse.

    The treatment I do is called Muscle Activation Techniques, It is a biomechanical analysis of the muscular system. Where there is restriction or tightness in the joint range of motion, rather than stretching what is tight, we identify the neurologically inhibited muscle through isolated muscle testing.

    Muscle inhabition develops from: dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, overuse and strain or trauma. Once that muscle is identified, it is treated through palpation at the origin and insertion point. The palpation increases blood flow immediately and accelerates muscular recovery. The muscle test is then reproduced and it brings back the muscles ability to contract. Once that inhibited muscle is able to contract, the antagonistic (opposite action) muscle relaxes, without ever stressing or stretching it.

    I see hundreds of endurance athletes here in Colorado Springs with muscular issues. Go to testimonials on my site www.activeedgemat.com
    This is not massage, chiropractic, myofacia release, ART, trigger point, raulfing or physical therapy.
  • Walt
    Katie,

    Sorry about the disappointing end to a promising cross season. Please take my advice and do NOT pay attention to any of these replies.
    See some specialists and figure it out.Nobody on this forum is able to diagnose you with whatchamacallititis from reading about some of your symptoms.
    Good luck.

    Walt
  • bradcarlsoncptrtsmmats
    Katie
    You mentioned a trigger point therpy that you are going to try. If you find you don't get the result your looking for, contact me. www.activeedgemat.com or by cell at 719-338-2100.
    I office out of Col. springs and work with hundreds of athletes at the high school, college and olympic level. The treatment I do is called Muscle Activation Techniques. It address isolated muscular inhibition, that in turn, causes muscle tightness. Muscular inhibition come from any or a combination of the following:
    1 Overuse, 2 Trama 3 Dehydration 4 Nutritional deficiencies
    The tighness is the symptom, not the actual cause or root of the problem. When a muscle tightens, it is purposely reacting to protect the body from breaking down even more. If you stretch the tight muscle you are only breaking down the body's protective mechanism to keep you from doing more damage and increasing the problem. Until the antagonistic muscle neurologically can receive messaging from the central nervous system at a level need to produce force to do the task, the opposite muscle will continue to tighten.

    Through isolated muscle testing, I can determine exactly which muscles are inhibited and treat them directly. The palpation at the muscle origin and insertion point increases blood flow directly to the tissue, then the muscle test is repeated, bring back it's ability to contract. The recovery to muscular tissue, especially from overuse is amazing.

    This is not massage therapy, trigger point, active release or myofacia release. They are all great techniques, but the difference is Muscle Activation Techniques identifies the specific muscle or muscles that are inhibited, and then treats them directly.
  • neopro
    What Compton appears to be dealing with is an affliction known as Cannuter's Syndrome, which is a rare condition first discovered in Finnish runners during the 70's. The symptoms are exactly as she describes and the condition is exacerbated by heavy training in colder climes. The "cramps" she describes are not cramps as such, but more of a gradual tightening and stiffening of the muscles coupled with extreme discomfort. Left untreated, the pain and stiffness only gets worse. This is the exact condition that the infamous Ricardo Ricco claims to have suffered from and was reason for his EPO-CERA positive. This is NOT to infer that Compton is of that ilk.

    Tums/Rolaids will not cure it, nor will EPO-CERA, nor will accupressure massage. Compton needs to get herself to a specialist in the field of thyroid and hormonal disorders and proceed from there.
  • interesteddoc
    I can find no reference to cannuters syndrome in google or medline. Can you elaborate more on this condition. I would favor a variant of amp deaminase deficiency.
  • Been there.
    Drink two 12 oz. Dr. Peppers daily. Sounds strange but I had this problem and the only thing that works for me is Dr. Pepper. My father is the same way. I have been to orthopedists, neurologists, physical therapists and endocrinologists. You need a thyroid test too. I bet your pituitary and thyroid are abnormal as well. Do not give up!
  • flandersfatcat
    I'm sure Katie, a world class athlete, has consulted specialists, had labs done etc, etc. (If not she'd better because mitochondrial diseases etc are in the differentials). If due dillegence has been done, trigger point work is an option. Sometimes things aren't as clear as an episode of ER or a Wikepedia entry,
  • Joe Spectator
    It sounds like Katie is suffering from Compartment Syndrome in her quads. No amount of stretching/massage/therapy will fix that. She needs to go under the knife and have the pressure released.
  • Marshall Hance
    That was my first thoughts!
  • I was thinking the same thing reading this. Kris freeman (an xc ski racer for the US) has had similar problems in the past - www.krisfreeman.net
    symptoms sound similar, and surgery was the only way to fix it for freeman. now, however, seems the problem is gone and he's doing well again. surgery is most likely required - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartment_syndrome
  • ACUPUNCTURE can't hurt:-)
  • RT
    I agree with "Robsi"...Those symptoms sound exactly what I had and blood test revealed very, very (60times) elevated creatine kinase (CK) values in my blood. Rest, rest, rest and lots of hydrating "usually" does the trick...But, seeing thet she's dealing with it since age 18 you def. want to see at least one specialist. Katie could have won World's the way she was riding (and winning) that one World Cup in the early season!
  • chris
    The pain you describe reminds me of Kirk Willet's problem in his right leg with blood clots:

    http://www.biketechreview.com/misc/bikes_blood.htm
  • barak007
    I DID NOT REALIZE SO MANY DOCTORS READ VELONEWS or is this a HOUSE episode. Anyways she needs to see more than one specialist if she's had this problem since 18 something is definitely wrong and her current physicians really aren't that current.
  • pinched artery
    Katie, take your blood pressures after riding and compare with those of your arms. You may be pinching your iliac artery. If this is the case, your blood supply does not meet the demand, and that can be why it jumps around to different parts of the muscle.
  • Guest
    She should read up on reflex neurovascular dystrophy.
  • robsi
    Severe prolonged muscle cramps after cycling could indicate a muscle metabolic myopathy--basically the muscles are normal at rest, but cant adequately cope with extreme activity and muscle necrosis or rhabdomyolysis can result. Usually a blood marker of muscle injury, creatinine phosphokinase (CK) is markedly elevated. Very fit individuals, such as pro cyclists may compensate, at least partially with their high aerobic fitness but there is also variability in the degree of muscle energy enzyme deficiency, which can allow them to function at a high level even with the condition. A episode of muscle necrosis induced by an extreme event may need weeks for recovery. As others have suggested, Katie needs to see a specialist!
  • leblaireau
    She needs to see a physiatrist specializing in muscular diseases. Sorry, trigger point therapy doesn't sound like the cure!
  • joe
    Hypothyroidism is possible. I'm assuming she has been check for that.
    Sounds like myositis. Would need muscle bx to confirm.
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