I need suggestions please.

[North Shore Chicago]

Last Tuesday, I hyper extended my foot and pulled (possibly tore) my hamstring. Went to the Doctor on Wednesday and I was sent away with a prescription for a muscle relaxer and a compression bandage.

I would appreciate any wise words even anecdotal conversation from anyone who has experienced this.

This really sucks, I played competitive tennis for years and have NEVER been this injured. But while rolling up the hose......*sigh.

[Tomconroy]

1. Last fall I pulled a muscle in my back. Then because I was walking funny

Last edited Sun Sep 5, 2021, 11:15 AM - Edit history (1)

I inflamed a muscle in my hip. It was months of agony but eventually it did clear up. About two months for the back. Four for the hip.

[North Shore Chicago]

3. Months huh?

Well dang, glad you are better now however.

[Tomconroy]

31. I bet yours clears up in a few weeks. Both mine took a lot longer than the doctor's expected.

[North Shore Chicago]

5. Thank you!

I did manipulate last evening and the pain and discomfort only grew. I betcha I massaged too early in the healing process. Will attempt in a few days.

I don't know your physical limitations, but tennis is for all ages. I have taught athletes in wheelchairs.

Thank you for your sage advice.

[Lochloosa]

4. I would get a second opinion.

[North Shore Chicago]

6. Thank you.

[snowybirdie]

7. Over the years

after suffering several bouts with back problems, I found taking a muscle relaxer always made me feel lousy and unable to function. Check with another Dr. about ditching it. Prednisone helped me. Only take it for a brief time though. Always talk to your physician.

[North Shore Chicago]

8. I was only

given a prescription for 15 pills. Have only taken 2, you are correct, my head felt murky.

Thank you.

[mopinko]

24. i take one that doesnt make me fuzzy.

tizanadine.

used to take another one that i could only take at bedtime. it helped my sleep, and did help to relax the muscles for at least that amount of time.

[North Shore Chicago]

27. Thank you!

[Tomconroy]

9. To really find out if there was a tear they would have to do an mri.

It's probably a bad sprain though.

[North Shore Chicago]

10. Yes, was told that.

Also, I learned something new. No MRI's are done in the emergency room area. Need to schedule with your physician.

Thanks Tom!

[Tomconroy]

12. And your insurance company has to agree to it in advance.

[North Shore Chicago]

17. Naturally.

Thank you

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. Yes. Do not get old. Repeat: do not get old.

But seriously:

Hamstring strain - aftercare

[North Shore Chicago]

14. I will join the chorus.

Do not get old!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

19. As long as we're discussing pain, have I told you about my ... NT

[North Shore Chicago]

23. I also have one in my....

ass.

But I won't name names.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

37. NOW you tell me!

♿🥺👵

[Irish_Dem]

13. You might want to have a physical therapist look at it.

And give you treatment. (Your doc usually has to authorize these treatments, but they usually do so with no problem.)

I have had quite a few injuries to feet, ankles, legs and it is the PTs who get it all sorted out for me.
They are truly amazing.

I have found the hard way that docs and ERs are not great at treatment with these kind of injuries.

The PT will make sure that the compression bandage is needed and that it is the right kind.
They will examine the injury carefully with their hands and give you an accurate diagnosis.

And then they will give you the best treatment to make sure you are healed properly and get mobile as fast as possible.
They also do massage which helps with the pain.

[North Shore Chicago]

15. All kinds of great advice!

Thank you so much!

[Hotler]

16. I suggest you stay off of it for a few days.

A warm epsom salt soak my help make it feel better. Hope it gets better soon.

[North Shore Chicago]

20. I will.

Begrudgingly resting. Difficult for an active person.

Thank you!

[Sanity Claws]

18. Epsom salts

Soaking your feet in an epsom salts bath may help alleviate the pain. I've done it for ankle strains and shin splints.

[North Shore Chicago]

21. Great advice!

Thank you!

[Hotler]

22. I forgot about this, thry this liniment, zheng gu shui. It worked very well.

You can find it in Chinese stores and maybe even Walmart. Wear a rubber glove or put a baggie over your hand when you rub it on. Tiger Balm might work for you also.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zheng_Gu_Shui

[North Shore Chicago]

25. Thank you!

[Niagara]

26. I have to second posts 4, 13, 16 and 18.

Get a second opinion.



Inquire about PT and exercises/stretches that you can do at home.



Epsom salts relax the muscles and helps relieve pain.



I once had a twisted pelvis and walking in itself was painful. It was months before anyone instructed me what type of exercises to do at home to relieve the pain. Once I started the stretching exercises, I was then able to walk normally and I kept walking on a regular basis. When I don't stretch or walk, things start getting painful and jacked up.


Sending healing vibes!

[North Shore Chicago]

28. Thank you!

Great advice.

[LakeArenal]

29. Our hospital offered pool therapy.

You can keep somewhat in shape and pump blood in your system. Heated water. Exercise.

[North Shore Chicago]

30. Excellent!

Thank you.

[Sogo]

32. Two words:

physical therapy.

Ask your doctor to prescribe a course of physical therapy. I just finished a course for an injury from a couple of months ago. I wish I had known years ago how effective it can be. It would have saved me a bundle in chiropractic visits.

Now, I have a series of targeted exercises that not only remedy the problem but strengthen the area to prevent future injury.

[North Shore Chicago]

33. Sage advice!

Many thanks!

[lunatica]

34. Get yourself a tube of Arnica gel which will help a lot with the pain.

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Research-Laborator-Arnica-Multi-Pack/dp/B001E0ZOCO/ref=sr_1_12?crid=2XEMGGEH2UVJ6&dchild=1&keywords=arnica+gel&qid=1630885159&sprefix=Arnica%2Caps%2C275&sr=8-12

[North Shore Chicago]

39. Food for thought!

Thank you!

ps. I don't mean ingesting.

[Laffy Kat]

35. I'd want an MRI. nt

[North Shore Chicago]

40. Agreed.

I will give it a few more days.

Thank you!

[csziggy]

36. Get a second opinion from your regular doctor

And if possible get referred to a sports specialist doctor.

I've never torn a hamstring but had lots of other injuries. First thing I learned is to not stress the injured area before it's healed. If you can get to a sports specialist, they can better assess and treat the injury. Where I am there is an orthopedic clinic that specializes in sports injuries because of the local university teams. They are excellent and have their own sports physical therapy center for the follow up.

In each of the injuries I had (rebuilt shoulder, meniscus removal and knee replacement in both knees, carpal tunnel surgery) it was about three months of healing before physical therapy could start.

And while you will probably be ordered to get an MRI, don't let a MRI be the total answer to what's going on. For my shoulder the MRI showed no significant damage so the doctor was OK with outpatient surgery. As it turned out the entire rotator cuff was destroyed and the doctor later told me he would have had me in the hospital if he'd known how bad it was. MRIs can lie.

If your body tells you it's serious especially after the initial recovery following the injury, press for more aggressive treatment.

[North Shore Chicago]

41. Thank you

for the thorough explanation of different injuries!

What pisses me off is, I probably have a couple of thousand miles on the tennis court, and absolutely zero significant injury. (a couple of charley horses)

Obviously I am unable to roll up my hose without tripping over something. grrrr

[csziggy]

43. Yes, it's pretty amazing what can hurt us

Good luck with your hamstring. I hope it heals properly!

[electric_blue68]

38. I like the Arnica Montana pellets 30C...

I've had 2 nasty injuries -
torn rotator cuff on my dominant left arm/handed at 38
tri-fractured ankle at 59

I don't remember if I got some for either of these

But I can say is they were so helpful for all the
heavy dental work I had at a few points. 👍

When you're healed up but if you experience any
ankle stiffness I have a great exercise a holistic sports
doctor gave me. I had so many ankle sprains between ?'67 - mid '80's or so, and one more 10+ yrs later (not the fractured one) I started to lose some flexibility, but this exercise brought it all back.


Best of luck for a full recovery! 👍

[North Shore Chicago]

42. Thank you for your post!

Your left arm is the dominant? You must be of your right mind. lol

So am I!

[electric_blue68]

44. YW! So you're a "lefty", too?

Sounds like they left you alone

My aunt they made her go right-handed back in the late 1920's or so.

Glad you got a lot of good advice! 👍

[North Shore Chicago]

45. Lefty, yes!

One of my grade school teachers told me of the bad 'ol days where they would not allow a child to write left handed in the school room. How wretched!

There was a left-handed store at a cool mall in Dallas. Sold "left-handed" coffee mugs.

Hah!

[electric_blue68]

47. I'm not sure if I still have it but my parents gave me...

when I was a young teen
"The Left Handed Book" or something like that. 💖

Did you know that the Latin word for left is
sinister?! Oh, joy! 😲🙄🙄🙄

It was a cool little book.
And thinking now - what a wonderfully caring, and sweet thing to do! I don't think I'd quite grasped how much of a minority left-handers were/are!
Sometimes I forget, because it's practically like breathing for me.
Still, I'm glad I've become more ambidextrous because it makes certain things easier.

My Writing and Drawing remain left handed. ✊ 😁

Cool about that store. 👍 I think I had a pair of left handed scissors once.

[Harker]

46. For tendon issues...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Poppy-Externals-Green-Willow-Liniment-4-fl-oz-/353462830063?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

It's done wonders for me during and since my tennis and softball days (almost thirty years ago.). I resided for a time in the late 70s on an adjacent corner to Bob Flaws and Honora Wolfe, who are the founders of Blue Poppy.

Also... once you're healed up and ready to play, I'd strongly suggest that you warm up and stretch for twenty or thirty minutes prior to a match. Or rolling up a hose. Keeping flexible is our best defense!

[North Shore Chicago]

48. Thoughtful post.

Thank you!

[Wicked Blue]

49. Dear NSC, I hope you feel better very soon

I've got something similar going on, and it's not getting better, even with internal and external arnica. I pulled it while showing my husband various leg stretches that help with back problems.

If you find something that helps, could you be an angel and post about it?

[North Shore Chicago]

51. Hello WB!

Oh my, injuring yourself while you were trying to get more limber, oh joy.

Well, it's been 10 days since injury and 9 days visiting the Doctor.Here is what I've been doing and from my estimation, My leg is 60 to 65% improved. Yay!


* Resting with leg elevated (at every opportunity)

* Icing for 20 minutes at a time (when opportune)

* Wearing a compression bandage (as tight as you can without cutting off circulation)

I injured a certain group of muscles HOWEVER ALL of the adjoining muscles became inflamed and tender as well. I manipulated those muscles after a few days ie my calf, shin area and quads.

Yesterday, I had bruises on the back of my upper leg, that is telling me I am healing OR my muscle is completely torn (according to the Doctor) but since I feel so much better, I believe I am on the road to recovery.

Really simple things to suggest. Rest, ice and compress the area.

If these idea do not mitigate the situation, it might be more serious than a stretched or a partial tear of a muscle.

Here is hoping you heal quickly and do not re injure the area!

[Wicked Blue]

55. Thank you!

Can't believe I'd forgotten about elevation and ice. Will definitely do this!

I'm not sure how to do compression on upper thigh and buttock

Very glad to hear that you're improving.

[3catwoman3]

50. No particular health advice, but you gotta...

...come up with a better story!

About 2 years ago, I tore a tiny ligament in my left pinky finger putting on a glove, of all things. We had been at an exercise class, and everything was fine. It was winter. Put on the gloves. Went home. Took off the gloves and saw that the tip of the pinky finger was all bent over at a 90 degree angle. WTH?! Turns out it's called a mallet finger, and is apparently a pretty common baseball injury. But putting in a glove - sheesh.

I was tempted to tell people I had done it rock climbing or mining diamonds, or something more exotic -

[North Shore Chicago]

52. ;)

Oooops, did I say my hamstring was injured rolling up the hose?


In actuality, I did it while flying my helicopter after a mag. 9.5 earthquake left Chicago in ruins and it was up to me rescuing all the animals. My helicopter clipped the side of the John Hancock building, went down in Lake Michigan. Luckily, there was one remaining Cigar boat still working so I piloted that to the Army tanks to finish rescuing. With all of that rubble, oh my.

Mayor Lightfoot did such a fine job warning everyone that not one person was injured or killed, except for me. Critters are all safe.

[Harker]

53. I approve.

Having suffered painful injuries putting on a shirt, taking off socks, and (twice) busting apart heads of iceberg lettuce, I could use some better stories.

[zanana1]

54. Was the muscle relaxer called Flexeril?

About a year ago I had a bad back spasm that literally had me crying. I was admitted to the hospital and given painkillers. It passed. Then a few months later, I experienced the same muscle spasm. I took a prescribed Flexeril and I was flying for the rest of the day. During my younger days, I "experimented" with drugs, but the Flexeril really spaced me out. So much so the next morning, I was still spaced.

[North Shore Chicago]

56. Yes

The muscle relaxer prescribed was Flexeril. It definitely was an out of body experience, it muted the pain as well as I no longer had a care in the world.