HELP! I keep pulling muscles!

jules1984

In the last three weeks I keep pulling/straining the muscles in my legs. Each time it takes about five days to finally feel okay again.

The first time, I sprinted in softball and pulled my quads - one worse than the other. The next week I did a gentle warm-up jog (I am a runner) and then stretched carefully. I cracked off a hit, bolted to first and OUCH! This keeps happening. It seems no matter how carefully I warm up and stretch I still pull something. I don't pull muscles jogging. Can I never sprint?

Weird thing is - its happening for wimpy reasons too. I bent down to get something and suddenly my inner groin felt sharp and that hurt for like 3 days. This happened with my hamstring too!

I'm only 26, am I just getting old? I am going to try and up my potassium (potatoes and bananas), protein, and water. Any other suggestions? Am I alone in this?

Panda86

Stretch your muscles, even if you aren't going to be exercising. And maybe do some jogging in place to warm them up, and then stretch them again. That might help. I am 24 and sometime I randomly pull muscles, too. But I try to stretch in the morning and it seems to help.

lordofultima

Stretch, before and after exercise. Stretch every day. For a good amount of time (15-30 minutes) not 10 seconds.

elmct57

walk at leat 15 minutes to warm up first before doing anything and then do your light strething routine. have you iced the areas and seen a doctor?

brityn

I've never pulled a muscle.I drink plenty of water and eat lots of protein, but i'm a waitress and work 4-12 hour shifts a week, so maybe my legs are a little more stretched out on a daily basis. I'd suggest taking a lap along the fence line of the soft ball field before the games...then spend time stretching (focus on quads, hamstrings and glutes) until it's your turn to go to bat. Next week while you're jogging try some sprints. when I run outside I'll sprint one telephone pole to the next, then recover two poles, then sprint again. It''ll help those fast twitch muscles get conditioned for the explosive start of the sprint

jules1984

Wow, I can't believe I didn't even think of starting a regular stretching routine... that's kind of a 'duh' moment for me. Thanks!

Maybe I'll try sprinting a couple times during my jogs too.

I haven't seen a doctor. I'm sure physical therapy would give me some great help and answers but its time and money I don't have right now.

I was just so frustrated last Sunday because I spent all this extra time warming up and stretching and it did NOTHING. I then tried to do a tumbling class with my friends and the instructor dude wanted me to try a handstand to a bridge. Felt like I ripped my muscle in half - almost cried. I warmed up and stretched that time too.