Hamstring injury

[Michael O. Moore Jr.]

I tore my left hamstring in 1998 and I still can't do sprints. I'm afraid to injure it again. It was black and blue from from my groin to big toe. I even feel tension when doing standing exercises. I walk eight miles every other day and jog intermittently until I feel tension, then I go back to my walking. I also ride a stationary cycle an hour and five minutes every other day and have no pain. I never rehabilitated the muscle and just got back into shape over the last year, down from 290 to 188 since March 12th of last year and have maintained my shape and weight the last two months. What do I do?

[bryanc]

Congrats on getting back in shape!

It sounds like you might benefit from some rehab to address your concern about re-injury as well as the tension/tightness issue. I'm not sure where your concern about re-injury comes from--whether the feeling of tension makes you worried that it will re-rupture or if you're a bit gun-shy mostly from the previous injury. It sounds like you would like to do more, but don't feel that you can because you're simply unsure about what to do.

Depending on what kind of tissue actually ruptured (muscle or tendon), it's possible that you're experiencing tightness due to the rupture healing in a more contracted position--hence the feelings of tightness. If you ruptured muscle, then despite the reattachment, the new healed tissue would not be muscle, but rather collagenous tissue (almost, but not quite like having a tendon between the two ruptured ends). If you ruptured tendon, then your muscle would be intact and again, the new healed tissue would be collagenous tissue. Either way, it is important to mobilize the new tissue to force it to remodel in such a way that your injury restricts your activity as little as possible, and the best way to do that is to see someone who rehabs post-surgical repairs of ruptures--likely a physiotherapist. You should also possibly involve your surgeon (I'm surprised that you did not go through formal rehab post-op) to see whether this is the appropriate step for you, or whether you've developed some problem that might require revision (but usually that has more to do with healing in a stretched position rather than a contracted one).

[Michael O. Moore Jr.]

Thanks, I didn't have surgery. I believe I might have been misdiagnosed.

[bryanc]

Sorry, I thought you had a full rupture. If you only had a partial rupture, surgery would not always be indicated. Either way, seeing a physiotherapist would probably be a good step.

[Michael O. Moore Jr.]

I've had many surgeries and need @ least 3 more from bashing up the middle and throwing the long ball, this is easily understood. Shoulder, brachioradialis, and hammy need more help as I'm aging. Had very successful surgery on my left shoulder even though I hurt worse on my right(throwing arm). I'm pretty well educated in exercise science and it is puzzling to deal with my left rear leg. It will cramp while doing bicep curls or putting pressure anywhere it doesn't belong? It cramps playing kickball with my nephews and nieces. I used to, ru a 4.61 @ 215 and I'm in better shape now than then. Crazyand frustrated!!!