So I Pulled My Hamsting...

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

I don’t think I had done a thing wrong. Came to the gym, warmed up with an olympic bar and a variety of exercises (front squats, overhead squats, lunges, good mornings, BO rows, presses, etc) just like I always do. I did a set of overhead squats. I kept the weight light because I haven’t done them for about a year and want to keep the form. Did my BO rows. Moved to forward lunges…on the second rep I “felt” a pop and pain. Images of never being able to deadlift or squat flashed through my mind. My heart raced.

I went home and found my wife ready to leave for work. I told her what happened. She asked me “why?” I said told her I don’t think I had done anything wrong…and she says it…

“I guess you’re just getting old, honey.”

Damn.

So it’s time. Time to move over to this forum and time to start asking you all for advice. And time to pray some kind souls give it.

First, I should ask about healing. “The internets” tell me I’ve a pulled ham and should be using RICE (rest ice compression elevate). Done and done. It’s about 60 hours later now. I’m feeling a bit better. Was able to use my leg to climb the stairs a moment ago (couldn’t yesterday). But how long will I have to wait to get back into it? Are there exercises I should do to promote healing? Things I should stay away from?

Next, I’d better start protecting myself more. Shit’ll happen and I know that. But I’d prefer to keep the injuries to a minimum. Any advice for warming up? Anything learned through the years that’ll help as I continue to get older? I want to still be lifting 10, 20, 30 or more years from now… so I guess I’m asking primarily about ways to maintain health.

For clicking on my thread, here’s a reward: a video to former president Bush wiping “Haiti germs” on former president Clinton:

No mater what anyone thinks of either of these guys… that was funny.

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Bad luck on the hamstring pull. I’m in a similar position though less serious. I pulled my calf doing hill sprints on Friday night. I warmed up and stretched properly beforehand too. But sometimes it seems there is just no warning.

The main thing I remember from doing a course on sports injuries in my youth, (apart from R.I.C.E) was after 24hrs, or when the pain subsides, to start stretching the injured muscle regularly. This means that when the muscle repairs itself it lays down the muscle fibres in a straight line. Without the stretching they will lay themselves down in any old direction, creating scar tissue and a permanant loss of flexibility.

Hope this is of some help. Good luck with your rehab.

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Strange, I just found this thread right beside on of mine. Aside from my recent left pec strain, I am also rehabbing a hamstring strain. Mine is much older, but I am making progress after largely rehabbing it and having a recurrence.

One option I have tried is Active Release Technique.

it is a chiropractic technique that uses dynamic movements by the practitioner to break up knotted tissue like Brett mentioned and generally promote good healing. It is at times painful to be the patient, I have joked the Chiro stepped out of a time space machine from the Spanish Inquisition. After the session there is an actual sense of relief, but one must rest for a while all the same.

for more info. there is a postal code/zip code locator for a practitioner near you (I presume North America, but take a look)

What I did the first time I got back into it was to do full range of motion squats and regular deadlifts, one session of each per week, with 3 or 4 days recovery between. I would do a combined warmup/working sets, 6 in total, ramping up the weights each set. To begin, ULTRA light, 3 sets of 12 for the warmup, then 3 sets of 10 for the working sets after, and as I say ramp up the weights but still listen to how the muscle feels an throw in the towel if that is your discretion. So when I got the full 10 at a top weight set, move the whole progression up by 1 weight increment, and eventually go 10 reps the first 3, then 8 the last 3.

Edit: Oh, I seem to remember starting with maybe 4 sets, and then when I was comfortable with the top set, add the 5th and so on and progress like I said.

do stretch. And don’t do sudden, explosive moves that tweak it.

Anti inflammatories (sp?) help with pain, but the last Medical Doctor physio I saw clarified for me that they DO NOT help healing, The thing about pain, though, is that it clues you in to whether or not you are overdoing your muscle. Maybe do the lifting session when the last dose has worn off and only go back to it if you get sensitivity later.

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that video did seem to get a notice from Clinton. He won’t lie about it, of course, he was just mistaken to have done so.

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Thanks for the information everyone. The leg is getting better rather quickly. I’m keeping it wrapped. Yesterday I forgot something upstairs and, without thinking, turned around and went up the stairs for it… only minor pain! The day before when I did the same thing I woke up the neighbors, haha!