Injury Q & A with Dr. Joe

[joedemarco]

HI Doc,

I pulled my hamstring grappling in January of 2006. felt most of the pain up at the glute area at it's origin. Rested it completely all of 2006.

In 2007 I was doing Olympic lifting after a very good warm up and felt it tweak, then the pain centered in the belly of the muscle.

I rested it 3 months and was jumping rope and felt it twaek again and the pain was on the outside of my tibia where it inserts.

I spent a bunch of my hard earned cash getting it massaged but it never felt deep enough to break up the scar tissue knots I can feel in the muscle.

Now the pain is pretty constant. I have no insurance and need to try and get this darn thing healed. Other than stretching and self massage I have not done anything due to financial constraints.

Can I stretch it a bit more? normally I just do 3-5 minutes a day on it. I feel it getting tighter and shorter but the pain makes me hesitant to do anything with it.

Thanks

From the history of the injury, it sounds like you mostly likely have quite a bit of scar tissue built up in the area. This will keep the chance of re-injury quite high due to the loss of elasticity to the muscle.

I realize you don't have insurance and therefore do not want to seek physical therapy. You may want to find a therapist who practices ART (active release technique). I believe that this type of therapy may work well in your particular situation.

In regards to stretching, I would spend more along the lines of 15 minutes per day (after a good warming up of the musculature). 3-5 minutes is just not sufficient given the history of this problem. Also, in regards to stretching, work the tighter twice as much as the non-injured side (until things even out).

I would also start getting into the habit of icing it down for 20 minutes post workout. Good luck!

[Amazon Doll]

Thanks Doc!

I just got laied off from work yesterday so ART is out for now.


1. Can I do more stretching after slowly building up the length of time the stretches are held. I do know and understand many stretching techniques, I am not a novice. I understand the proper warm-up also. I have done Yoga and other stretching workouts that last 1.5 hours and held each posture for 3 minutes, but am afraid to do so without knowlegeable advise.

2. Can I use a hard ball to roll on to break up the scar tissue?

I will Ice it!

Is there anything else I can do at home since this is all I have?

[Baldiewonkanobi]

30 years ago I was in hard times and found a Chiopractic College in my town where I received free massage and adjustments. Is that a possibilty? I saw a sarcastic bumper sticker today that had some bitter truth in it..."How's that Hope and Change Workin for ya?" Christmas layoffs are inhumane.

Best wishes in the job market and the injury healing.

Baldie

[tony63]

BCAA's while on KETO?

Dr. Joe, what are your thoughts on this???

Thx.......

[joedemarco]

BCAA's while on KETO?

Dr. Joe, what are your thoughts on this???

Thx.......

I feel that if you are using a high quality whey isolate, there is no need to supplement BCAA's. I believe Dave P. has mentioned the same thing on his Q&A thread.

[tony63]

I feel that if you are using a high quality whey isolate, there is no need to supplement BCAA's. I believe Dave P. has mentioned the same thing on his Q&A thread.

Thank you. I have read where he has mentioned the same. I just wanted more perspective.

Thanks again.......

[supbro!]

Doc, about 4 mos. ago i pulled a muscle in one of my glutes and went thru 3 mos. of rehab treatments and the pain has gone away. However, over the last 2 weeks or so i get a numbing sensation in the same leg if i sit down for too long or lay a certain way. Any help appreciated.

[joedemarco]

Doc, about 4 mos. ago i pulled a muscle in one of my glutes and went thru 3 mos. of rehab treatments and the pain has gone away. However, over the last 2 weeks or so i get a numbing sensation in the same leg if i sit down for too long or lay a certain way. Any help appreciated.

Just need a little more info from you. In regards to the numbing sensation, what part of the lower extremity is going "numb"? Does the numbness go away as soon as you stand back up or does it last for awhile? Are you sitting with your legs crossed or do you experience numbness when sitting regular? What was the cause of the original injury? Thanks.

[supbro!]

Just need a little more info from you. In regards to the numbing sensation, what part of the lower extremity is going "numb"? Does the numbness go away as soon as you stand back up or does it last for awhile? Are you sitting with your legs crossed or do you experience numbness when sitting regular? What was the cause of the original injury? Thanks.

the numbness extends throughout my entire leg and i get when i sit straight up or reclined in a chair. it goes away after 2o seconds or so and the original injury was from doing front squats . thanks again.

[joedemarco]

the numbness extends throughout my entire leg and i get when i sit straight up or reclined in a chair. it goes away after 2o seconds or so and the original injury was from doing front squats . thanks again.

Soft tissue injuries often times heal with the formation of scar tissue. Scar tissue is dramatically less elastic then normal soft tissue. You most likely have some as the result of your injury. Some of the nerve roots coming from your spine that travel to your legs have to pass between the musculature in the buttocks region. The tightness in the buttocks region, from the scar tissue, may be causing some nerve compression when your body is in certain positions (i.e. reclined in a chair). The nerve compression results in some temporary numbness in your leg which goes away as soon as you move around and release the nerve compression.

I wouldn't be to concerned with it at this point. Keep stretching and working out and most likely it will subside with time. If it doesn't, or becomes worse, you may want to call your therapist back.

Good luck!

[supbro!]

many thanks doc.

[Catwoman]

Joe

About a week ago I tried to move something with my foot that was heavier than I thought (stupid, I know) I immediately felt something pull behind my left knee. It hurt for a few minutes and I walked it off. I have continued to train and trained legs last saturday, but it feels tender and I seem to feel it more if I hyper extend my leg while walking. I don't want to lay off training, so any advice on helping it heal while still training and doing cardio?

[joedemarco]

Joe

About a week ago I tried to move something with my foot that was heavier than I thought (stupid, I know) I immediately felt something pull behind my left knee. It hurt for a few minutes and I walked it off. I have continued to train and trained legs last saturday, but it feels tender and I seem to feel it more if I hyper extend my leg while walking. I don't want to lay off training, so any advice on helping it heal while still training and doing cardio?

Given your injury description, it doesn't sound like a ligament injury. You more then likely strained a distal hamstring tendon (they insert in that region behind the knee). It doesn't sound like anything serious, however I understand what a nuisance it can be. The reason you feel it more when you straighten your leg is because that position puts tension on the hamstring tendons.

It will most likely resolve on its own over the next few weeks. I never feel like there is a need to completely stop training because of an injury. Just avoid any exercises that significantly increase pain to that area.

Make sure to warm it up well before working out. Don't just jump into heavy sets. Also, stretch lightly after training and then ice the area down for 20 minutes. Good luck and let me know how you make out.

[Catwoman]

Thank you

[AnglicanBeachParty]

I have been fighting a forearm injury for about 10 weeks.

I think I originally either injured it while deadlifting or doing dumbell lateral raises. It was not too severe when it first happened, but has gradually gotten worse as the weeks went by.

The sore muscle is the one that closes the fingers of my left hand. If I try to pick up even a light dumbell and bring it upwards (to the side or in front of me) it hurts like crazy.

Just recently, I tweaked it doing high-pulley crossovers for my rear delts.

It does not generally give me any trouble on biceps or triceps movements (except for hammer curls).

Any advice for how to rehabilitate this?