Hamstring injury won't go away

[willschmelt]

On April 6th 2012 i was competing at an invitational, and one of my first jumps, I pulled my hamstring. I knew I did something to it so I kept it loose as long as I could. I continued to jump about 6 more times. It's funny because at that meet I jumped my personal best... Anyway after the initial pull, I continued to compete in 6 other meets during my senior season, the last being on May 26th. I never practiced or took any run-throughs, I would just come in at a height that would either win, or qualify/place well. I ended up running the 110 Hurdles twice, and the second time was at my league finals, and I was running a half a second faster than I ever have and was winning, when my leg cramped a little and I crashed hard over the LAST hurdle... A couple weeks later I placed 4th in CIF Finals even though my PR-wise I was seeded in 1st by 13 inches. So basically this injury absolutely ruined my senior season. Since then, I spent 3 weeks training in July and competed in about 4 meets. Aside from my legs being in the worst shape ever, I felt ok. But the whole time I was training or competing I thought I felt something in my previously injured hamstring but I figured it was just soreness. At the last meet I competed at, which was in mid August, I felt a lot of dull pain and achey-ness in my hamstring. I haven't really pushed/tested it at full speed since then, but when I run faster than a jog, it feels like there's something there, even if it doesn't hurt. My guess is that it's scar tissue (but I can't find any by just feeling in my hamstring because it's so deep). I really need to get back to a condition where I can train myself 100% and stop baby-sitting the stupid injury that ruined my otherwise good High School track experience!!! So my question is: Does this sound like scar tissue? If it does, then how do I get rid of it? How careful should I be with it? Will it just go away? Its been 4 months...

[coachjvinson]

This is some practical information from my personal experience...
First of all, flexibility and the length of the muscle fibres may have been a contributing factor...
Even still, from your description you have continued to train and compete in an injured state - while not ideal, this is understandable and common given the timing of the injury during your season: a calculated risk.

So, here you are with a nagging injury that is in the "chronic" phase instead of the "acute" phase
How chronic this injury becomes is dependent on you and the choices you make surrounding your training, and competition.
What I am certain of is that your return to 100% health and how quickly you get to 100% health is dependent on you doing things differently than you have the past 4 months -
This will involve isolation type flexibility and strengthening exercises to stimulate blood flow in the area and train the muscles involved in a sub-maximal manner to stimulate and incorporate the injured area without re-injury -
THIS IS THE KEY - the fact of the matter is that you are "chomping at the bit like a racehorse at the gate" which is great - and your physiology - all of your muscles, health, CNS, etc... are at 99.9%
THE HITCH IS THIS, THE CATCH 22 SO TO SPEAK, - you are strong enough, fast enough, etc to KEEP RE-INJURING your hamstring. It NEEDS TIME OFF - but not just inactivity - you need a program of flexibility, and muscle group specific exercises.
The key will be focused activity and RESTRAINT - RESTRAINT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SPEED AND STRENGTH TO KEEP
RE-INJURING THE HAMSTRING -
I replied on your post (if my memory serves me right) about training without traditional equipment while abroad - everything posted there still applies - WITH THE CONDITION - that your intensity and overload is kept in check by YOU - as you know, you have been able to compete at a high level with this injury - BUT you are in an OVERTRAINED/INJURED state - the remedy for which is decreased volume, decreased intensity and rest -
Utilize all of your dynamic stretches, A skips, B skips, etc... BE CAREFUL - Sub Maximal Effort - LISTEN TO YOUR BODY - GO EASY AND JUDGE YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR TRAINING ON HOW YOUR BODY RESPONDED TO THE PREVIOUS WORKOUTS-
Remember that how you REST and RECOVER is just as important or even more important that your INTENSITY and VOLUME in your workouts.Be Careful with (or omit for now) the PLYOMETRICS and JUMP TRAINING - that is probably the only modification that I would make to my other reply.
Even as you return and are feeling that you MIGHT be 100% - test your abilities slowly and specifically - vault from short runs, work your hurdle progressions, SLOWLY and CAREFULLY - ICE, MASSAGE, STRETCH, and HYDRATE etc. after and between workouts - Make yourself go EASY in the weight room - it sounds like you and I are cast of the same mold, I love to press IRON and move Plates - HOWEVER, BE CAREFUL focus more on the eccentric (negative or lowering) parts of your lifts at reduced weights, volume, and intensity - The Weight Room can be a fast ride to RE-INJURY - some of this will just take time...
What you do now will establish a foundation for your training not only now but for years to come -
Finally, if you can get with a Physical Therapist, an Athletic Trainer, or see if there is a trainer in your area certified in Muscle Activation Therapy - it is advisable.
Nothing that I have suggested should be taken as, or as a substitute for, medical guidance, it is offered as practical advice only: if I were in your position, this would be my direction... so to speak.
Also, if anyone can add to, improve or clarify this response, PLEASE DO SO, for my benefit as well - Ours is a continued path of growth, learning, and development...
V

[VaultMarq26]

I have been a physical therapist for a few years now and am 0% surprised that you are still hurting. You didn't mention ANY steps you have taken to heal. Even with proper ice and rest a hamstring can commonly linger for 6 months or more without getting proper rehab. Get into therapy with a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

As far as it being scar tissue, I am sure there is some at this point but likely this can be taken care of by a trained professional.

A good therapist will also help you take steps to prevent this from happening in the future.

[powerplant42]

I've been dealing with something similar for over 4 years now... Get rid of it now while its still fresh! In addition to the previous comments, I recommend seeing a massage therapist. If you don't have the money for that, find a lacrosse ball and a hard surface to penetrate into the tissue to break up any scarring.

[VaultMarq26]

I've been dealing with something similar for over 4 years now... Get rid of it now while its still fresh! In addition to the previous comments, I recommend seeing a massage therapist. If you don't have the money for that, find a lacrosse ball and a hard surface to penetrate into the tissue to break up any scarring.

If you can't handle the lacrosse ball use a tennis ball

[dj]

hye

you need to learn to run correctly....

use the quads instead of the hams...

dj

[powerplant42]

DJ, can you explain what you mean by that? At this point in my career, I'd do almost anything to take pressure off my hamstrings...

[bel142]

Sprint technique is crucial to the vaulter. Now lots of people over stride, but the object is to find the most ideal and closest to perfection that you can. If foot strike to too far out in front your hamstrings need to pull body weight over then your quads can extend your leg for push off. The less time we get where we are pulling body weight against resistance, over striding or foot strike too far out in front, the more pressure we take off the hamstrings.

You ask 3 track coaches the point or the technique for a B skip you will get 5 answers. The B skip, when we talk about sprint technique, is to teach the body correct foot strike directly at or slightly behind to eliminate breaking action and having to pull the body against resistance.. As we run there is always a breaking action other wise you would accelrate no matter what you were doing, the closer we strike to 'zero' we eliminate the breaking action and the hamstring activation when pulling against the ground.

Having better sprint technique allows for better energy conversion and less energy wasted in areas like your hamstrings having to pull your body forward before leg extension and push off happen.


hope that helps
bel

[coachjvinson]

Having better sprint technique allows for better energy conversion and less energy wasted in areas like your hamstrings having to pull your body forward before leg extension and push off happen.


hope that helps
bel

Case in point, Several months before I tore my ACL (14 months ago), I had developed my running technique to a point at which it allowed me to run as fast or faster than I did 20 years ago. This occurred simply from my demonstration and participation in drills and progressions that I conducted for the squad as a secondary coach. Much to my Sophomore son's surprise, I could smoke him in the 40 and talk a little smack doin' it: he soon overtook me past 40 but hey, I am 40. Basically, years ago when I first started coaching I realized that simply relying on the methods my coaches used wasn't good enough: I had some great coaches that did a great job,but the knowledge base and methods were just that much more developed. I probably have never made a dime or profit from coaching stipends: I invested it all in instructional materials, resources and clinics. As a result, I have gained an insight and built relationships beyond what my resume and formal experience may indicate. For me that is reward in and of itself beyond what I deserve.

Never buy into the belief that you know enough, that you've done enough, or that you've reached your potential... I am content and satisfied knowing that I have and will continue to exceed all of these limits