Leg injury, help?

[Thirtyfive2seven]

I played flag football for the first time in forever and I have some major issues with my left quad now. Btw this was after the last game so I have played a full season without any issues up until this point.

I can't really go up and down stairs without pain and this is about 9 days after my last game. I admit that I was not in the best shape going into this but at this point I'm not sure if I should see a doctor or if I'm being a ... well you know.

There is *edit* a little swelling but no bruising that I can see but my leg actually feels "weak" ? and I get lots of pain when climbing stairs. Anyone has something similar to this happen and if so what is the treatment? I've been icing it but I read that after this long I should apply heat.

Thanks for any advice.

[hockeysc23]

Can you pin point the pain. Is it a joint or muscle or just overall pain?

Odds are good if there is no severe swelling that it is DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Stress. It is basically severe soreness from not working out in awhile. Gets worse a couple days afterwards although that is a little long for it.

[AsburySkinsFan]

My advice: go see your doctor.

[twa]

Alcohol rub, if that don't help go with the 5% Caspian cream ointment.

You can thank me later...or curse me:evilg:

[Special K]

Take 2 Advil and call me in the morning...that's what my dad, and ortho, would tell me.

I suggest calling your primary care doc about it. If s/he feels it's something that sould be pursued more in depth, they can refer you to an ortho specialist.

[PokerPacker]

Can you pin point the pain. Is it a joint or muscle or just overall pain?

Odds are good if there is no severe swelling that it is DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Stress. It is basically severe soreness from not working out in awhile. Gets worse a couple days afterwards although that is a little long for it.

having just started going to the gym a couple months ago, I know ALL about that one. took about a week for me to walk again without any issues.

[TTViper]

I had a similar thing happen to me last summer. I played intense basketball for about a week straight. I woke up with some pretty intense pain. Every night for about a week I would get terrible calf cramps.

I probably should half just let it rest, but I continued playing basketball, and went on a 5 mile hike to jump off some waterfalls. The pain was really bad, and it 'felt' weak, but it didn't really hurt my performance at all. It took about 2 weeks for the muscle to return to normal.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

Can you pin point the pain. Is it a joint or muscle or just overall pain?

Odds are good if there is no severe swelling that it is DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Stress. It is basically severe soreness from not working out in awhile. Gets worse a couple days afterwards although that is a little long for it.

It's muscle. I feel it about 3 inches above my knee.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

Alcohol rub, if that don't help go with the 5% Caspian cream ointment.

You can thank me later...or curse me:evilg:

I don't even know what caspian cream ointment is but it sounds scary. I'll google it and curse you either way.

[hockeysc23]

having just started going to the gym a couple months ago, I know ALL about that one. took about a week for me to walk again without any issues.

Yeah haha. I remember the first day I ever did calves in HS. Woke up the next day and fell right on my face. I couldn't move at all.

Avoiding DOMS may be one of the best reasons to never stop working out.

[hockeysc23]

It's muscle. I feel it about 3 inches above my knee.

Ah well if it's not the joint odds are good its just severe soreness. If you tore a major muscle like the quad you wouldn't be able to walk at all.

Ice, advil and keep stretching (don't over stretch).

[Thirtyfive2seven]

Take 2 Advil and call me in the morning...that's what my dad, and ortho, would tell me.

I suggest calling your primary care doc about it. If s/he feels it's something that sould be pursued more in depth, they can refer you to an ortho specialist.

Thanks, I've been taking advil regularly and haven't used it since the injury occurred. I originally thought that after a week it would be better so I guess maybe I should just suck it up and call a doctor.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

Ah well if it's not the joint odds are good its just severe soreness. If you tore a major muscle like the quad you wouldn't be able to walk at all.

Ice, advil and keep stretching (don't over stretch).

So even a week after the injury I should keep on icing it? Thanks, I feel much better that it's nothing serious. It sounds like just a really bad sprain.

[DButz65]

I JUST strained my left quad monday, bowling of all things LMAO Hey it had been almost 10 years....I even stretched a lot...what I did as soon as I got home was take these muscle relaxers my wife had, and ICED it down immediately, on and off for about 3 hours for 20 minutes at a time.

Today I hardly feel it any more, and it was basically in the same area, from right below my crotch area, down to just above my knee.

Ice ice ice, elevate it, and take some muscle relaxers, if you have access to them

edit: its beena week? hmm if still swollen yea, ice it still

[hockeysc23]

So even a week after the injury I should keep on icing it? Thanks, I feel much better that it's nothing serious. It sounds like just a really bad sprain.

When I take off doing legs or not playing hockey then go hit legs hard on the gym I feel like I cannot walk for a week.

I mean I am not a doctor so just giving my 2 cents as someone that works out a fair bit. And given the lack of swelling that a traditional tear would have.

I always ice 15 on, 15 off, and sometimes use heat. Ice can never hurt and is one of the best cures for injuries.

DOMS:

"Although there is variance among exercises and individuals, DOMS usually increases in intensity in the first 24 hours after exercise, peaks from 24 to 72 hours, then subsides and disappears after about five to seven days after exercise.[3]"

[hockeysc23]

I JUST strained my left quad monday, bowling of all things LMAO Hey it had been almost 10 years....I even stretched a lot...what I did as soon as I got home was take these muscle relaxers my wife had, and ICED it down immediately, on and off for about 3 hours for 20 minutes at a time.

Today I hardly feel it any more, and it was basically in the same area, from right below my crotch area, down to just above my knee.

Ice ice ice, elevate it, and take some muscle relaxers, if you have access to them

edit: its beena week? hmm if still swollen yea, ice it still

You shouldn't take muscle relaxers unless they are prescribed for that specific injury. You are using a chemical to mask a symptom. End result is you could do much further damage as you think the muscle is fine when it is not.

[Die Hard]

Again, go see a physical therapist or an osteopath.

A simple assessment will let you know if it's a muscle strain, what grade, if it's a bursa, tendonitis, etc.

All of this stuff is pretty easy to assess if you see the right professional.

And all a family doctor is going to do.... is refer you to those types of professionals anyways. So skip that step altogether.

[Die Hard]

I mean I am not a doctor so just giving my 2 cents as someone that works out a fair bit. And given the lack of swelling that a traditional tear would have.

In a muscle as large as the quadriceps... you aren't going to necessarily see swelling as you would expect to see.

But swelling IS part of the inflammatory process.... whether it is visible or not.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

thanks everyone, this is another reason I keep coming here. I wasn't sure if this was something big or just a pulled muscle.

[Chopper Dave]

I'm actually in a similar spot right now. I just started playing soccer more regularly and last week I played for a really long time on a concrete hockey rink. I was sore for a few days, which was normal, but now like 5 days out, my left knee is completely shot. I feel grinding when I move the joint, I have constant pain and stiffness, and there is literally no leg position that is comfortable for the knee. I think I might've really screwed something up. Anyone got anything for me (other than advice to see an orthopedist, I'm making an appointment tomorrow if it's still bad)?

[DButz65]

You shouldn't take muscle relaxers unless they are prescribed for that specific injury. You are using a chemical to mask a symptom. End result is you could do much further damage as you think the muscle is fine when it is not.

They were actually the same exact ones my doctor gave me for when I was having bad spasm's and pain, different muscles and all yea, but figured it couldnt hurt..plus I only took a few to help me relax. At any rate I know I shouldnt but sometimes it takes weeks to get in to see my doctor, and a lot of the time I get charged out the ass if I goto the ER here by my insurance company.

At any rate I am fine now, no pain or anything, I'm 100%

[Die Hard]

At any rate I am fine now, no pain or anything, I'm 100%

Pain isn't the only symptom that indicates pathology. It's just the only one that patients seem to care about and forces people to seek treatment. Often times, it's the LAST symptom to show.

But don't mistake the absence of pain for being "100%".

[grhqofb5]

not sure what the best solution is at this point, but talk to Santana, I heard he has a pretty good leg doctor on retainer....

[PokerPacker]

When I take off doing legs or not playing hockey then go hit legs hard on the gym I feel like I cannot walk for a week.

I play hockey year-round, but that doesn't prevent the DOMS from attacking at the gym if I haven't been in awhile.

[Die Hard]

Anyone got anything for me (other than advice to see an orthopedist, I'm making an appointment tomorrow if it's still bad)?

Honestly, seeing a specialist is ALWAYS the ONLY answer.

Without going through a thorough health history... and actually physically and visually examining you... and running a battery of functional and orthopedic tests... and possibly diagnostic tests (ie. ct-scan, xray, mri, emg, etc) if necessary, any answer anyone gives you other than seeing a professional is misguided.