hurt? pulled muscle?

[jamesdal7]

I need some help. I was working on legs yesterday. I did squats, leg extensions (i dont know what u call it, but its the one u sit down and put plates and u extend your leg out), and then leg curls. I was on my last set of leg curls when I get this sharp pain on the back of my leg, hamstring. I felt like I pulled something. I hurt bad and could not stretch it out. It still hurts a little today but not as bad as yesterday.

Do you guys think I pulled my hamstring? I've pulled a muscle before doing sprints but this is a different pain and it felt different when I pulled it. Let me know what you guys think.

If I did pull it, what do I do? heat for the first 2 days then ice for the next 2 days? please let me know.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by jamesdal7

I need some help. I was working on legs yesterday. I did squats, leg extensions (i dont know what u call it, but its the one u sit down and put plates and u extend your leg out), and then leg curls. I was on my last set of leg curls when I get this sharp pain on the back of my leg, hamstring. I felt like I pulled something. I hurt bad and could not stretch it out. It still hurts a little today but not as bad as yesterday.

Do you guys think I pulled my hamstring? I've pulled a muscle before doing sprints but this is a different pain and it felt different when I pulled it. Let me know what you guys think.

If I did pull it, what do I do? heat for the first 2 days then ice for the next 2 days? please let me know.

Yes, you probably pulled it a bit. It'll be better in a few days or a week or two tops.

Ice at this point won't do too much, so you might as well put the heat on it. Massage will make it hurt less as well.

When its healed, start the 5x5.

[macattack]

My personal experience with strains or pulls as long as you didn't hear anything rip/pop, feel burning or a large knot is to use ice that will keep down the inflamation heat will add blood flow and you don't want that right away, you ought to see a doctor anyhow .

[jamesdal7]

Thanks for the info guys. I don't have any swelling, it's just tender today. I don't think i pulled it that bad. I didn't hear anything rip or pop. I just felt it pull. I will have my girl massage it, should I put heat since it's not inflamed?

[macattack]

Ice has always worked best for me i'd wait a few days before you add heat the inflamation is in the tissue so you don't neccesarily feel it but if its pulled its there.
I'm just saying what works best for me thru trial and error and what docs have told me to do i've had a few good pulls especially in my back, recently i pulled the trap muscle and used nothing but ice for 2 days and it healed really fast that way, massages are a good thing if you can get them

[jamesdal7]

Thanks. I'll start with ice today. I'm glad i was done with legs, gives me a week to rest the hamstring.

[borrachopower]

always start off with ice!!!!
remember that a sprain/strain is actually a tear.
however, there is a grade 1, 2, or 3. depends on the extent of the damage.

ice helps control the bleeding of the tear(it happens even if you dont see it). if you add heat immediately after you get the strain, you will dilate vessels and cause more blleeding.heat immediately after a sprain/strain is the worst advice anyone can give you. most dont do it intentionally, it is what they were taught.

after a few days, then you could add warm heat. helps with the cirulation. start walking too...
the body wants and has created a "splinting mechanism" so stretching too soon would be a bad idea too.

your Dr. will tell you all this(if he is a sports Dr.)

[jamesdal7]

Originally Posted by borrachopower

always start off with ice!!!!
remember that a sprain/strain is actually a tear.
however, there is a grade 1, 2, or 3. depends on the extent of the damage.

ice helps control the bleeding of the tear(it happens even if you dont see it). if you add heat immediately after you get the strain, you will dilate vessels and cause more blleeding.heat immediately after a sprain/strain is the worst advice anyone can give you. most dont do it intentionally, it is what they were taught.

after a few days, then you could add warm heat. helps with the cirulation. start walking too...
the body wants and has created a "splinting mechanism" so stretching too soon would be a bad idea too.

your Dr. will tell you all this(if he is a sports Dr.)

I talked to my Dr friend. He is a chiropractor that specilizes(sp?) in sports injuries. I know he's a chiropractor but does know about muscles as they are all tied together. Anyways, I told him what happened and he concurred with all your comments. Ice for the first 3 days. He said I could add heat after a day or two after the ice to help with the recover faster. I've been icing it down and it has helped a lot. I feel only sore now as before it would hurt on any movement. He said, Ice and rest the muscle, and heat after 3 days to help recover faster. Thanks everyone for your help. I see 1 week, 2 weeks top for recover.

Thanks BP for your info on the different levels of tears. My friend asked me a lot of questions and said it was not a major pull after I answered his questions. He said the good thing is that I stop immediatly after I felt the pull. He said a lot of guys keep going only causing more damage.

[borrachopower]

good luck bro..