Hamstring strain

[KIAman]

So to make a long story short, I was playing a pickup game of soccer and pulled my left hamstring when I was power kicking the ball with my right foot (dominant) for the goal.

I felt the pull and collapsed. Felt like a really bad leg cramp that never went away.

Doctors said it is a grade 2 hamstring strain and said absolutely no physical activity for at least 4 weeks. I asked about lifting only with upper body and she said absolutely not for 4 weeks and even then AFTER a checkup to determine my recovery.

I don't know how much progress I'll lose after 4 week minimum break from lifting but my real fear is when will I be able to squat again.

 

[brad310]

Sorry about the injury. I know they are depressing.

I will say that what you need to do is try to take some positive out of it. Look at it like an extended rest. You probably wont lose much muscle mass, but you will lose strength. Its happened to me also, but the strength does come back alot quicker the second time than it took to ever get it initially.

Nows the time to check the ego about your abilities and just look at getting healthy.

 

[highland145]

From where I pulled my glute/ham last year.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=33834335&postcount=8
30 days of PT...zero results but I was kind of stuck with the things I had to do (mowing, etc). Better over the winter but I can still feel it's damaged and I've given up the bike all together, FTL. At this point, I believe that's where the original injury may have occurred. Maybe scar tissue/adhesion's. Point is, listen to the Dr. or you'll be wishing you had taken a 4 week break.

 

[KIAman]

So it's been 3 weeks and not working out has made me lose my appetite. I'm currently weighing in at 190lbs (down from ~200lbs). Hamstring still feels sore if I stretch it but at least I can walk without a limp.

I tried doing some air squats and the first thing I noticed is that I lost a lot of mobility in my left leg. I can only do a half squat without feeling 7/10 pain all throughout my leg.

Gonna give it 1 more week and then work my way back into lifting again.

 

[CPricecrispi]

Grade 2 is a serious injury, is a deep muscle tear. The 4 weeks to 6 weeks is just time for it to heal and do regular activity, like walking normal and light jogging, it does not include squatting with weights. If you go back to squatting, it might produce new micro tears around the original injuries and form scar tissue.

Since you have less mobility in the left leg, focus on mobility and stability exercises. Walk side ways, backwards, and power walk. Do single leg squats and lunges to rebuild the muscle flexibility and strength.

 

[KIAman]

I've been statically stretching my hamstring and glutes 3 times a day for the last 2 weeks. At first, I felt burning pain as soon as I got to 90 degrees to my legs but now it is either a lot less pain or I just got a lot more tolerant, I can't tell.

I've also started some light jogging about 3 times a week. There is no pain if I do a heel strike but I still feel the pain if I do a toe strike. My entire focus was to train my body to be normal again. Everything I do, I try to look normal. No limping, no leaning, nothing.

This week, I'm gonna start air squatting again, I can visibly tell my left leg is smaller than my right leg now, I don't want to lose too much strength.

My goal is to start weighted squats by next month.

 

[KIAman]

Ok, I'm back in the gym again! Leg is still stiff but I just do an extended warm-up (15 min on the elliptical @6mph@lvl10) and stretching for an additional 10 minutes and I felt ready for some weighted squats.

Just the bar on my back and the first thing I noticed is that at the hole, I can clearly see I am leaning on my left leg (the injured one).

I did about 10 sets of 8 with just the bar and although I felt pain (about 6 out of 10), I felt really good afterwards.

Here's to progress again!

 

[Koing]

Be very careful with the lean. I'd work your mobility and use VERY VERY LIGHT WEIGHTS.

You do not want to squat with a lean if you didn't lean pre injury. I did the same thing back in 2010 and it delayed my training by another 6-8 weeks . Coming back from one injury and starting to go heavy too early when you weren't fully healed up. I hurt my right knee and I started to lean weirdly on the squat

Koing

 

[KIAman]

I haven't updated this in a while, but just in case others have run into injury and are getting back to lifting, there is hope.

My squat is back up to 5x5x225lbs. The only difference is the squat feels different on my body. My glutes and hams get fatigued faster than my quads do whereas before my quads would be the first to go. The lean I had was because I was compensating for the pain in my left hamstrings. The lean is now gone (I think).

I'll try to get a video up this Friday for form's sake.

 

[Koing]

I haven't updated this in a while, but just in case others have run into injury and are getting back to lifting, there is hope.

My squat is back up to 5x5x225lbs. The only difference is the squat feels different on my body. My glutes and hams get fatigued faster than my quads do whereas before my quads would be the first to go. The lean I had was because I was compensating for the pain in my left hamstrings. The lean is now gone (I think).

I'll try to get a video up this Friday for form's sake.

Definitely make sure the lean is gone! Get a video as that is the only sure way to tell.

Even after training for about 10/11yrs I could not tell I was leaning to one side after my injury until another lifted pointed it out and was like WTF?!

Koing

 

[KIAman]

Video of me doing 225lbs.

At this point, I've already done 5x5x225 squats and my entire workout. The camera-girl wasn't available until the end of my workout. So I am pretty gassed at this point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auopN6LaZQQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Koing]

Video of me doing 225lbs.

At this point, I've already done 5x5x225 squats and my entire workout. The camera-girl wasn't available until the end of my workout. So I am pretty gassed at this point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auopN6LaZQQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Looks easy but you aren't at parallel or below.

Can you get a video of just the bar and see how deep you go.

Koing