Massive twang in my leg, WTF?!

Massive twang in my leg, WTF?!

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_Deano

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
So this might be the worst case scenario. Went out for a run in Zurich, whilst interval training (30s sprint, 1 min recovery, 2 min jog) there was a massive twang, thump feeling in the back of my right thigh. Couldn't walk or find a comfortable position for about 2mins and actually was in an immense amount of pain; wanted to drop to the floor, but was scared i couldn't get back up. I'm was probably about a 35min run from the hotel, so started walking back. The walk consisted of one half step of my left leg, with my right following up to the position in line with my left foot, but i couldn't put my right leg past my left, as if i wanted to to walk. By luck, someone stopped and asked if i was ok and gave me a lift back to the hotel. Where i'm finding it difficult to sit on my right arse cheek.
The stter is that i have to fly back home tomorrow frown
So what have i done to my right thigh?

GokTweed

3,799 posts

152 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
Knackered your hamstring

_Deano

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
Is that bad? Not done anything like this before.
How can it be fixed?

zeduffman

4,057 posts

152 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
It'll fix itself, you just need to rest it. Massage can help too if the person knows what they are doing.

_Deano

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
I'm guessing that the recovery time will depend on how much i've buggered up my hamstring, but recovery times are roughly how long for this type of injury?

jackh707

2,126 posts

157 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
_Deano said:
I'm guessing that the recovery time will depend on how much i've buggered up my hamstring, but recovery times are roughly how long for this type of injury?
It can be long, a fair few weeks, it's a very big muscle to pull. When it's starting to feel better... do not be tempted to start exercising again. Wait, then wait some more. Or you will just keep doing it.

MitchT

15,883 posts

210 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
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I pulled a hamstring a while ago. Nowhere near as bad as the OP's injury sounds to be, but exactly the same symptoms, albeit less debilitating. All you can do is rest it and let it fix itself, which it will.

GokTweed

3,799 posts

152 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
depending on how bad you've twanged it you may need surgery, that tends to be only when the whole of the back of your leg down to your ankle bruises. Yours probably isn't this bad but you will need to rest it for a couple of weeks.

acd80

745 posts

146 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
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I am not a doctor but based on your symptoms, it sounds like you may have a partial tear of your hamstring.

Something similar happened to me during rugby training when I was doing shuttle sprints. I went down like a sack of brown stuff mid sprint which was amusing for everyone who seen it. I was able to do non-impact training on a bike though the very next day. It should heal in a couple of weeks but getting a proper diagnosis from a physio wouldn't do any harm and would allay any concerns you have.

Ibruprofen is your friend!

GokTweed

3,799 posts

152 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
quotequote all
acd80 said:
I am not a doctor but based on your symptoms, it sounds like you may have a partial tear of your hamstring.

Something similar happened to me during rugby training when I was doing shuttle sprints. I went down like a sack of brown stuff mid sprint which was amusing for everyone who seen it. I was able to do non-impact training on a bike though the very next day. It should heal in a couple of weeks but getting a proper diagnosis from a physio wouldn't do any harm and would allay any concerns you have.

Ibruprofen is your friend!
Diclofenac is better wink

JD84

210 posts

153 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
quotequote all
Diclofenac, ice, rest . Hamstrings take a while, just rest.

_Deano

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

254 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
quotequote all
Cheers all. Flying back to the UK today, dreading the flight already knowing how cramped it can be. Luckily i was able to check in online and reserve a seat by the window on the left side of the plane, which will allow me to put weight through my left arse cheek. Silly as it sounds, i can't sit down on my right side as it's sore.
Taken some Voltaren which has eased the pain a bit, will take another about 30mins before i fly later on tonight. Then tomorrow it's off to the doctors to see what they can give me.
The leg is stiff today, but still sore as anything. And sleeping last night was a pain too, even with the leg elevated on a pile of pillows.

Thanks again for the help

acd80

745 posts

146 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
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GokTweed said:
Diclofenac is better wink
Very true but I got into a habit of popping them like smarties!

Highway Star

3,576 posts

232 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
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I'm currently getting over hamstring problems. Did mine two weeks ago, right at the top of the hamstring, where it connects to the bum. Didn't go as badly as yours, but takes time to heal. I've written off running in races for the rest of the year and hope to go back training in about 10 days time.

It's important that there is no pain when you start running again. Running when it hasn't healed will either making it go again, or will lead to problems with other muscles as you'll change your style to compensate.

merc_man

1,926 posts

203 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
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Did it feel like someone just pulled a large rope across the back of your leg. That's what my hamstring felt like when it tore several years ago. Caused by the muscle cramping just before you extend your leg. It hurts , a lot.

You'll probably find you have a very large bruise on the back of your leg, perhaps all the way up to your backside. Ultrasound treatment can help recovery but other than that it's just a lot of rest. You'll have to make sure you stretch a lot in future as you'll now have some scar tissue in there that makes a recurrence much more likely.

ehonda

1,483 posts

206 months

Thursday 29th November 2012
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I did mine a few years ago, I was supposed to be cooling down after a karate class, stretched a bit too much and heard it go. I had physio, which included deep massage, electric pulse thingummy (no idea what it's called, but it hurt) and lots of exercises with a big rubber band.
Took me about 6 weeks to start feeling normal, and now it's no bother but that leg is now slightly less flexible than the other one.
I had private healthcare through work and that took care of the physio costs.

98elise

26,644 posts

162 months

Friday 30th November 2012
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This sounds similar to something that happened to me in the forces during basic training.

I couldn't physically move the leg forwards under its own steam. It wan't painful (from what I remember) but it was just like I lacked the capability to move the leg forward. I don't think I could even tense the muscle properly.

It was a very odd sensation, but as it wasn't painful I didn't see the doc. It sorted its self out after about a week.

I've always wondered what it was smile

_Deano

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

254 months

Friday 30th November 2012
quotequote all
merc_man said:
Did it feel like someone just pulled a large rope across the back of your leg. That's what my hamstring felt like when it tore several years ago. Caused by the muscle cramping just before you extend your leg. It hurts , a lot.

You'll probably find you have a very large bruise on the back of your leg, perhaps all the way up to your backside. Ultrasound treatment can help recovery but other than that it's just a lot of rest. You'll have to make sure you stretch a lot in future as you'll now have some scar tissue in there that makes a recurrence much more likely.
not too sure what you mean by rope being pulled across my leg, but it did feel as if someone whacked it and immediately i couldn't walk on my right leg, without pain. Was looking for a bruise today, but still can't see anything.

It would seem that this injury was caused by sprinting, as i had a good run for 30mins prior. Will just stay away from sprinting in the future.

996 sps

6,165 posts

217 months

Friday 30th November 2012
quotequote all
Is it the outside or inside of the leg?

As ever Deano seek a physio or sports therapist but usually on sprinting its the bicep femoris which usually takes the brunt normally 6cm's from the insertion, depending on the grade of tear, flexibility is key early on (but see a physio) a study was done on length of time to function and the group whhich had conducted flexibility early on had a shorter time in rehab before getting back to sport.

As you sprint the hip is flexed and the knee is extending so the eccentric work by the hamstrings is at its highest, if there's a muscle imbalance then quads extend and begin to dominate the hamstrings in the end an injury occurs - a study done a treadmill test taking power tests of hamstrings and quads and as time went on quads took over and the found these athletes would therefore be more likely to get injuried.

Eccentric exercise is key but at late stage, nordic hamstrings curls are good (google them) but they are only in one plane of direction and hamstrings are a multi-plane group of muscles - kettle bell swings with a rotation for example or front right lunge - but as ever the internet is not good enough for a true exercise programme - see someone.

Don't think about not sprinting again, just get good rehab advice - if you'd been for a 30 minute run first i'm wondering if your hamstrings were fatigued before your sprints, also if you lack hip extenstion of the opposite hip this can cause hamstring issues - lack of ankle dorsiflexion on the same leg - or even lack of 1st MTP extenstion can affect the biomechanical chain and cause hamstring issues.

Edited to add - Good luck!

_Deano

Original Poster:

7,406 posts

254 months

Tuesday 4th December 2012
quotequote all
996 sps said:
Is it the outside or inside of the leg?

As ever Deano seek a physio or sports therapist but usually on sprinting its the bicep femoris which usually takes the brunt normally 6cm's from the insertion, depending on the grade of tear, flexibility is key early on (but see a physio) a study was done on length of time to function and the group whhich had conducted flexibility early on had a shorter time in rehab before getting back to sport.

As you sprint the hip is flexed and the knee is extending so the eccentric work by the hamstrings is at its highest, if there's a muscle imbalance then quads extend and begin to dominate the hamstrings in the end an injury occurs - a study done a treadmill test taking power tests of hamstrings and quads and as time went on quads took over and the found these athletes would therefore be more likely to get injuried.

Eccentric exercise is key but at late stage, nordic hamstrings curls are good (google them) but they are only in one plane of direction and hamstrings are a multi-plane group of muscles - kettle bell swings with a rotation for example or front right lunge - but as ever the internet is not good enough for a true exercise programme - see someone.

Don't think about not sprinting again, just get good rehab advice - if you'd been for a 30 minute run first i'm wondering if your hamstrings were fatigued before your sprints, also if you lack hip extenstion of the opposite hip this can cause hamstring issues - lack of ankle dorsiflexion on the same leg - or even lack of 1st MTP extenstion can affect the biomechanical chain and cause hamstring issues.

Edited to add - Good luck!
hi 996sps
Thank you for the explanation. The pain is on the inside of the leg, although the swelling has come down a bit and i no longer need a crutch to walk.
Not yet seen a doc about it, will do at some point, but it would seem that there isn't much they can do apart from prescribe some stronger pain killers and maybe a referral to a therapist. I'm getting by on the painkillers over the counter and the stretching is becoming easier, so i'm assuming that things are going the right way on the road to recovery. I've taken a look at the nordic curls and there is a lot of pressure on the knee. Is that really advisable? Still, i don't think that will be doing that move for a while.
Thanks again for the info
Dean