Thigh strain - Advice please

[Mummytotwo]

Did my 3rd 10K race on Sunday and due to not being able to warm up or cool down properly (plus a fantastic sprint finish! ) I've picked up quite a painful thigh strain. Tried a run last night but had to stop at 3k because I felt the quads go TWANG. By the time I walked home I was in agony. I iced it last night and it is ok to walk on but I can barely get up and down stairs. Any advice on what to do or how long I should rest it for??? I'm sad I can't run and might even have a tantrum :@

[davelinks Graduate]

MTT, Oh dear that's not good, lesson learnt then to stretch those muscles.Not too much before running, but more so after running.

I would think a good rest from running, maybe some gentle stuff as it gets better, swimming, static bike, walk. If it nags on my wife swears by movelat cream. I had problem with groin ache when running, have been giving it gentle stretching and aches gone..

[Rignold]

Keep icing it for 10 mins at a time several times a day. Apply voltarol and take paracetamol/ibuprofen so you can move about during the day. Go upstairs backwards, it is easier. Rest till it stops hurting.

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

I see an increasing number of this kind of injury at parkrun - it seems to me to be happening among the faster of the runners - and I am thinking that it may just be "overconfidence" and trying too hard too soon!!

[Mummytotwo Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Yeah probably. Finished my 10K in 51:44

[Hidden in reply to Mummytotwo]

That's amazing! Almost worth the pain...?

[Mummytotwo Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you! Not my fastest. I did it in 51:13 last year. Almost worth the pain but now no running for a while This makes me grumpy

[Hidden in reply to Mummytotwo]

It's all lessons learnt though. All future supersonic sprints need to be followed by lots of stretching. Speedy recovery

[Mummytotwo Graduate in reply to Hidden]

hahaha!

[davelinks Graduate]

Great time! Think Bazza's hit nail on the head, more time less strain...

[Mummytotwo Graduate]

hmm I run regular and do 10K once a week. Must have been the sprint finish

[Hidden]

ouch and double ouch , that's a bummer , think the others have got it covered ..

[misswobble Graduate]

Oh dear! So sorry to hear that!!!! This racing lark has a lot to answer for. We go hell for leather and then get hurt! What a flippin nuisance. Still, you enjoyed it, right!!!!! Fantastic sprint finish. Yahooooooooooo!

OK in hindsight that might have been the thing that put the tin lid on it! Now you're hurt. You have to rest til you're better. Anti-inflams take quite a while to kick in but you might need some strong ones from the doc. Ice, ice and more ice seemed to me the best way to reduce inflammation. I froze silicon muffin moulds of water in the freezer then turned them out and used the block of ice all over my leg. They last for 8 - 10 minutes. You just move it about all over your painful area. Get some towels under you as it goes all over the place. You can use paper or polystyrene cups if you have any. At night I took the strap-on ice pack to bed with me!

Rest is the thing, and no running. While it's so painful you ought to rest it then you will recover that much faster. If you're worried go see the Doc. Chances are it will recover by rest, anti-inflams and ice. Hope so, so you can get back on the road

Take care!

[TurboTortoise Graduate]

I pinged my quad last year doing hill sprints! It wasn't too bad though and I was better after a week. The good news is that unlike overuse injuries (ITB, achilles strain) these things just need a bit of time to heal and then you're off again. But lots of ice, foam rolling, rest, as per all the advice above.

[Mummytotwo Graduate in reply to TurboTortoise]

Thanks Turbotortoise, still trying to get the hang of foam rolling.