General Discussion Triathlon Talk » hamstring pull Rss Feed  
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2008-10-07 2:39 PM

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Master
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Victoria, BC
Subject: hamstring pull
Anyone have any first-hand info dealing with this?
I pulled my right hamstring yesterday, teaching bootcamp (my own stupid fault - demonstrating something difficult with cold muscles). I've been to the doctor today and it appears to be a Grade 2 pull, however I'm really swollen and inflamed so it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what happened. I'm going back in a few days, hopefully will get more answers then. (My glute is also causing a lot of pain, so don't know where it started)
But I've been told I might be out for 6 weeks! Is this true?!? How long did it take you to heal? .. I'm a teacher (yoga and bootcamp) and if I don't work - I don't get paid!


2008-10-07 3:33 PM
in reply to: #1724725

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Master
2010
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Falls Church, VA
Subject: RE: hamstring pull

at least 6 weeks.

hamstrings take forever to heal.

you have to baby it, too or it will linger. what you do not want is a tear.yikes.

only thing I can recommend is ice massage. I use the paper cup method. 

sorry. 

 

2008-10-07 4:09 PM
in reply to: #1724947

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Fulton, MD
Subject: RE: hamstring pull
Nipper - 2008-10-07 3:33 PM

at least 6 weeks.

hamstrings take forever to heal.

you have to baby it, too or it will linger. what you do not want is a tear.yikes.

only thing I can recommend is ice massage. I use the paper cup method. 

sorry. 

 

Sorry to thread hijack, but....

So you're the reason I can't use my last name as a screenname! I have to ask, is Nipper your last name or a nickname?

2008-10-07 4:37 PM
in reply to: #1724725

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New Haven, CT
Subject: RE: hamstring pull

First, you should work closely with an orthopedist who specializes in sports medicine and get the right program which would include PT, anti-inflamatory meds, ice, massage, ultra sound, etc.  In my personal experience, unfortunately I have a lot of experience with hamstring pulls. If you rush it you will pull it again.  (I suffered several in college during football and missed about 1/2 my sophomore season due to trying to get back too quickly from a hammy pull, lost the rest of season when I dislocated my shoulder.

Again, in my experience, with a Grade 2 (where the muscle is partially torn) the best thing to do is shut it totally down for at least a week, ice as much as possible, elevate as much as possible.  If you have a friend who is an athletic trainer or PT, get them to do ultrasound.  After about a week you will start your PT which should include massage, easy stretching, etc. increasing to resistence streching over the next 2-3 weeks.  You maybe able to teach after week 1 or 2, but go super easy and just teach, don't participate after week 3 you'll begin to feel better.  But, again, be careful (this is where I went wrong in college.  It felt great and then I pulled it again).  Stopping and starting quickly is a big cause of hammy pulls, so stay away from those kinds of movements.    

After you have totally healed, which will be 6-8 weeks, you will need to be diligent about streching your hammy.  I have pulled my right several times and it is still, despite everything in the book being thrown at it, much tighter than the left (I can touch knee to head on the left and bare get halfway there with right).  I have probably logged 10 pulls over the years and I wouldn't wish them on anyone good luck and you will be back in the game soon.

  

2008-10-07 8:43 PM
in reply to: #1725070

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Falls Church, VA
Subject: RE: hamstring pull
sorry dude, just a screen name
2008-10-08 9:39 AM
in reply to: #1724725

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Victoria, BC
Subject: RE: hamstring pull
Thanks guys .. not what I wanted to hear, but thanks for the advice though. Maybe a forced 'holiday' for a few weeks is exactly what I need, to slow my crazy life down. I have a lot of reading I need to catch up on.


2008-10-08 10:52 AM
in reply to: #1724725

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Subject: RE: hamstring pull

Sorry to hear it.  I had a grade 2 in December and it took me 3 weeks to run again.  I was swimming after 1 week.  I used info from this site.

I have to add that my chiropractor at the time had electrical stimulation machines and used it on my hamstring starting on the 2nd week.  It felt so much better after I started that therapy.

Give it a couple of days you can't rush it.  The body is amazing healing machine when allowed to properly do so.

2008-10-08 12:20 PM
in reply to: #1724725

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Subject: RE: hamstring pull

AAAAAaaaggrrrhhhHHH!!!

I say that from personal experience.

I blew my hamstring up in lacrosse because of improper warm-up also. Traffic on the way to a game and the home team's refusal to delay the game 15 minutes had us on the field within 10 minutes of getting off of a hour and a half bus ride. Sprinting out a ball on the end-line in only the first quarter I heard an audible pop and dang near the worst pain in my life took me to the ground.

I was laid up for about a weak and took a full 2 weeks off of practice to rest. I started back into practice after about 2 weeks but totally non-contact and I'd say at only 50% capability. I saw game time at the last game of the season about 4 weeks after the injury, but only a couple of minutes and I actually pulled myself from the game because I felt I was bringing the team down (felt maybe 75% by then). I didn't really feel back to 100% until the end of that summer, probably a full 14 weeks or so after the injury.

Like you, my glute was tore up too. SOOO Much pain from my butt all the way to the back of my knee. 

6 weeks is probably not unrealistic to be back running comfortably again. You'll be able to push yourself to be moving before then, but you need to really ask yourself if it's worth delaying full recovery.

As for tips. RICE!!! Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation!!! For the first two weeks, you have to keep the swelling down. I can't say enough how important compression is on your hamstring. Even when you're not working out. I found that the best way to accomplish this, was to put on a pair of compression shorts and then wrap over the top of that. A good quality ace bandage worked fine while I was lying around the house, and absolute ton of athletic tape when I was going out (there is a right and wrong way to do this too, find help if you don't know).

Getting enough ice on your hamstring and butt is dang near impossible. Give up and go to the ice bath. It's the only way.

Find a good physical therapist to help you with recommended stretches and rehab exercises once you're moving around again.

I'm feel soooo sorry for you. But don't despair, it will heal. It is going to take time though. And you've got to give it time or you'll only subvert your own body and do more damage than good.

EDIT: SP



Edited by Beafly 2008-10-08 12:23 PM
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