Ouch.

[Fletch 219]

So last Wednesday I decided to do some sprints (which I hadn't done in years). I found an area and distance I like and I stretched for a couple minutes (i.e. not enough) and sprinted about 100 feet, jogged back, sprinted again, etc. I did that 10 times and although I was tired, I felt ok.

So the next day, my legs were sore but not too bad. By Friday however, my hamstrings were absolutely shot. My quads were hurting pretty bad too. My lower back was really tight as well.

So on Saturday I just tried to relax and not do much except watch tv on my back with icy-hot on my legs...lol.

I had a game last night, and 2 minutes before I was going on the ice I was trying to stretch my legs out in the locker room. I go down to my left knee and lean back (to stretch out my left quad) and I felt something....I'm not sure if it was a pop, but it was immense pain. I tried rubbing it for a minute thinking it may have just been a cramp but that didn't help.

I toughed it out and hit the ice. Right away it was hurting when I would put pressure on it, but I still played. Throughout the game it got worse and worse and by the end of the game I could barely stand on it. We won 4-2 and I had a goal and two assists (:)) but after the game I had to lift my left leg with my hands to get my pants and skate off. It was that bad.

I'm limping now and I am most likely going to have to miss my game tomorrow night, dammit .

The whole quad is in pain....I don't want to go to the doctor because I'm sure it's just a bad pull, but I'm starting to get worried that it's a tear.

Has anyone had any experience similar to this? I have pulled my quads before but never this bad. I want to know how long I can expect this pain to last. I have another game next Sunday.....I'm hoping I can make that.

[Cavs019 708]

Stretch more...

[Fletch 219]

Well, I know that NOW.... ;)

But I'm not going to stretch it out at all until it feels a bit better.

[ktang 34]

More important than stretching is warming up the muscles.

It's important to stretch and cool down after sprint workouts also.

The benefits of stretching before exercise has become controversial. Recent studies are indicating that static stretches before exercise do not lessen the likelihood of injury (a University of British Columbia kinesiology grad was talking about this at length when we were taking Hockey Canada's Safety course).

Study finds no evidence stretching prevents injuries

But, this research is ongoing and there might be other studies in the future that contradict this.

[twiztidwrista10 3]

ktang is right, when your able to do sprints again i would start off by maybe just walking or a light jog insted of going right into your sprints. Once youve warmed up your muscles then you could start your sprints.

[chippa13 1844]

The problem you're having could be because of the lactic acid that built up in your muscles. After the workout you need to go through a cool down period, stretch again, and elevate the legs. This along with getting plenty of fluids into your system both before and after the workout should prevent your problem in the future.

[biff44 0]

Ouch! Too much too soon!

Static stretching is for AFTER you work out, not when you are in the locker room cold before a game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After you heal/repair whatever popped, go easy next time. Warm up with a light run, jump rope, and then do some dynamic stretching before the game.

Examples of dynamic warmup/stretching:"Perform a variety of walking, skipping, lunging, kicking, bending and twisting movements (and combinations thereof) for 10-15 minutes before exercise. "

[Neo5370 132]

I think the real problem might've been that you hadn't sprinted in YEARS (as you mentioned).

I'm no physiologist, but follow all the recomended stretching/warm up techniques and ease yourself back into a workout/sprint routine.

Going all out for the first time in years is like trying to bench however much you maxed in college after not lifting for a few years. Not a good idea.

[TCsnipes9 0]

After you heal/repair whatever popped, go easy next time. Warm up with a light run, jump rope, and then do some dynamic stretching before the game.

Examples of dynamic warmup/stretching:"Perform a variety of walking, skipping, lunging, kicking, bending and twisting movements (and combinations thereof) for 10-15 minutes before exercise. "

yes. the "dynamic warmup" has hit our lockerroom and surrounding areas hard in the past few years. fletch, if youd like a more detailed description PM me and ill be glad to help.

[Jim A 4]

even when you do your sprints you can ease into them..we used to do accels..which was walk 100m, jog 100m, stride 100m and then sprint 100m to warmup in the past..after about an 800m and 5-10 100m strides before we headed into intervals etc...modify to suit

[golfpuck 0]

almost sounds like a cramp

dehyration?

[jeffw 1]

almost sounds like a cramp

dehyration?

I woke up screaming last night with a cramp in the back of my leg. Felt like someone stabbed me with a knife.

/hijack

As for stretching, in one post someone mentioned that some studies found that it may not prevent injury. Maybe so but I know I play better when I'm stretched before a game. Seems like I don't tire out as much. I usually take a hot shower before I leave for the rink and stretch right after.

[SB39 2]

Fletch, if you haven't done sprints in a while, it's easy to overtax your legs. Ease back into it with lower intensity interval cardio, like go 70-85% instead of dead sprints, with the same rest intervals. Also try mixing in high octane/guerilla cardio: after a mile or more warmup, every 100-200 meters, stop and to pushups, bicycles, crunches, 1 leg squats, or somethin gof the like to get some good effort in.

[Fletch 219]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Once I heal I'll make sure to go about things differently! :)

[tyler9 0]

EXACT same thing happened to me. I'm pretty quick int he 100m but only run it like 5 times a year at the track meets. This year i was at divisonals and ran all out and felt a pull in my quad. I brushed it off and thought nothin of it. I kept hurting it playing lacrosse but not that its over and i am resting it it feels alot better.

[Fletch 219]

EXACT same thing happened to me. I'm pretty quick int he 100m but only run it like 5 times a year at the track meets. This year i was at divisonals and ran all out and felt a pull in my quad. I brushed it off and thought nothin of it. I kept hurting it playing lacrosse but not that its over and i am resting it it feels alot better.

How long has it taken so far to start feeling better? I have a game tonight and I can't decide whether or not to play. I hate the thought of having to miss a game .

But if I play tonight, I don't have to play again until Sunday....so I would have all day tomorrow, Thursday, Friday and Saturday to rest.

[chippa13 1844]

Pain is the body's way of telling you something is wrong. You're better off giving it some more days to heal rather than making it worse.

[SB39 2]

Fletch, go for a slow, mile or 2 jog to get the blood moving in your legs and so they can recover better, then when you shower, pu tit on as cold as it will go for the last 2 minutes; it helps recovery

[hockechamp14 0]

As for stretching, in one post someone mentioned that some studies found that it may not prevent injury. Maybe so but I know I play better when I'm stretched before a game. Seems like I don't tire out as much. I usually take a hot shower before I leave for the rink and stretch right after.

Some studies have said it also slows you down by doing static stretching. I never do it...

[tyler9 0]

EXACT same thing happened to me. I'm pretty quick int he 100m but only run it like 5 times a year at the track meets. This year i was at divisonals and ran all out and felt a pull in my quad. I brushed it off and thought nothin of it. I kept hurting it playing lacrosse but not that its over and i am resting it it feels alot better.

How long has it taken so far to start feeling better? I have a game tonight and I can't decide whether or not to play. I hate the thought of having to miss a game .

But if I play tonight, I don't have to play again until Sunday....so I would have all day tomorrow, Thursday, Friday and Saturday to rest.

I'd say it took around a week or so of rest until i could play sports without re-injuring it.

[Fletch 219]

Yeah.....I doubt I'm going to play tonight. It's making my whole leg/lower back hurt now. If I skip tonight, I should be able to go on Sunday and play a couple times next week.

Oh well. :(

[chippa13 1844]

Leg and lower back? Is it just on one side? If it is then that could be Sciatica and if it is, bummer for you, once it happens it will recur now and then. I've had that issue since my college days. It usually only lasts a couple of days and sometimes movement actually helps it feel better.

[biff44 0]

I would tend to agree. Sometimes when a muscle is hurting a lot, but not severely damaged, weight lifting thru the pain sometimes makes the pain go away. Do not know why, but it has happened to me a number of times. I had some sort of leg pain persisting all week, then after lifting it was gone! Do not know what the science is behind it.

[DeI 18 0]

I had something similar happen to me in the first game of the season last year. I had it checked out and they put me on crutches for 2 weeks. after the 2 weeks, it turned out i had been using the crutches for a week longer than I needed them. Shows how much my doctors know :D Although they still made me sit out for 2 months <_< Ohh well, good luck with the healing process Fletch.

[hockechamp14 0]

I had something similar happen to me in the first game of the season last year.  I had it checked out and they put me on crutches for 2 weeks.  after the 2 weeks, it turned out i had been using the crutches for a week longer than I needed them.  Shows how much my doctors know  :D Although they still made me sit out for 2 months <_< Ohh well, good luck with the healing process Fletch.

better to have used the crutches extra long than to have hurt it again from walking on it.

I remember when I thought I broke my foot off of taking a slapshot off my foot from point blank (I got x-rays and stuff, and it was just a really bad contusion). They put me on crutches, and I stayed on them until I planned to skate again because limping is bad for your leg muscles, and can create some nasty problems. Also, if you keep it up on the the crutches it helps a lot.