Help! pulled quadrecep!!

DanielleLynis
DanielleLynis Posts: 13 Member
edited November 20 in Fitness and Exercise
I pulled my quadrecep a few night ago playing softball. How can speed up the healing process as I have a softball tournament this weekend?

Replies

  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i would ask your dr
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Yeah, forums aren't appropriate for medical advice. But generally speaking.. what speeds the healing of partially torn muscles (when there's no swelling or bruising) is warmth and regular, light movement.. but only movements that don't hurt. Try cycling.

    What were you doing when it happened?
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Yeah, forums aren't appropriate for medical advice. But generally speaking.. what speeds the healing of partially torn muscles (when there's no swelling or bruising) is warmth and regular, light movement.. but only movements that don't hurt.

    How long is it a good idea to wait after the injury to do this, for a mild sprain? I understood that rest is important for the first 48 hours, then activity - or is that outdated?
  • You cannot. See your dr.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    tomatoey wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Yeah, forums aren't appropriate for medical advice. But generally speaking.. what speeds the healing of partially torn muscles (when there's no swelling or bruising) is warmth and regular, light movement.. but only movements that don't hurt.

    How long is it a good idea to wait after the injury to do this, for a mild sprain? I understood that rest is important for the first 48 hours, then activity - or is that outdated?

    Well, your body starts repairing the injury immediately, not 48 hours later. The process is facilitated by using the muscle in pain-free movements, so i would start asap. You'll have to experiment to find what you can do and when. :+1:


  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    tomatoey wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Yeah, forums aren't appropriate for medical advice. But generally speaking.. what speeds the healing of partially torn muscles (when there's no swelling or bruising) is warmth and regular, light movement.. but only movements that don't hurt.

    How long is it a good idea to wait after the injury to do this, for a mild sprain? I understood that rest is important for the first 48 hours, then activity - or is that outdated?

    Well, your body starts repairing the injury immediately, not 48 hours later. The process is facilitated by using the muscle in pain-free movements, so i would start asap. You'll have to experiment to find what you can do and when. :+1:


    This makes so much more sense than RICE. Thank you, Cherimoose :)
  • DanielleLynis
    DanielleLynis Posts: 13 Member
    Thanks for the advice. I started running to first base when I injured myself. The initial first few steps I took is when I could feel the pain. I know for a fact that my body wasn't warmed up enough when we started playing. So i'll be sure to stretch the next time I'm out on the field. For the record... my thigh isn't bruised or swollen. But I could feel a large not in my muscle.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    tomatoey wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Yeah, forums aren't appropriate for medical advice. But generally speaking.. what speeds the healing of partially torn muscles (when there's no swelling or bruising) is warmth and regular, light movement.. but only movements that don't hurt.

    How long is it a good idea to wait after the injury to do this, for a mild sprain? I understood that rest is important for the first 48 hours, then activity - or is that outdated?

    Sprain = ligament damage.
    Strain = muscle damage.

    I have no idea if they're handled differently, but they *are* different injuries so they might be. (And I'm not sure if there was a typo somewhere; I'm just clarifying. :) )
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited June 2015
    tomatoey wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Yeah, forums aren't appropriate for medical advice. But generally speaking.. what speeds the healing of partially torn muscles (when there's no swelling or bruising) is warmth and regular, light movement.. but only movements that don't hurt.

    How long is it a good idea to wait after the injury to do this, for a mild sprain? I understood that rest is important for the first 48 hours, then activity - or is that outdated?

    Sprain = ligament damage.
    Strain = muscle damage.

    I have no idea if they're handled differently, but they *are* different injuries so they might be. (And I'm not sure if there was a typo somewhere; I'm just clarifying. :) )

    No, good catch, thanks for the correction, it's useful. I've used those words interchangeably for both kinds of injuries (although I conceptually appreciate the difference).

    I've also heard conflicting advice for both (eg RICE all the way for everything; rest tendons and ligaments only, vs get right in there with the rehab right away..). But I am fairly clear on the idea that tendons apparently do NOT actually get inflamed outside of blunt trauma, contrary to what a lot of people believe.

    Sometimes it's a while before you can see anyone, so having a clear idea of what to do in the super-acute phase is helpful. Just hard to know what's what :/
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Thanks for the advice. I started running to first base when I injured myself. The initial first few steps I took is when I could feel the pain. I know for a fact that my body wasn't warmed up enough when we started playing. So i'll be sure to stretch the next time I'm out on the field. For the record... my thigh isn't bruised or swollen. But I could feel a large not in my muscle.

    So it was a sharp, immediate pain? Have you seen a doctor yet?
  • gainthatmuscle
    gainthatmuscle Posts: 50 Member
    you need to see a doctor for advice on proper healing. you cannot speed up the body's healing process
  • Holly_Wood_888
    Holly_Wood_888 Posts: 268 Member
    Don't run this weekend - have someone run for you - I did the same last summer and it can take up to 6 weeks to heal!
    RICE
    Rest
    ICE
    COmpression
    Elevation
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Don't run this weekend - have someone run for you - I did the same last summer and it can take up to 6 weeks to heal!
    RICE
    Rest
    ICE
    COmpression
    Elevation

    The doctor who coined the term RICE now says ice can delay healing ;)
    http://drmirkin.com/fitness/why-ice-delays-recovery.html

  • DanielleLynis
    DanielleLynis Posts: 13 Member
    Thanks again everyone. Just thought I'd give you all a follow up. I did see my doctor and he told me that I twisted the cartilage in my knee. I've never heard of that before but apparently it can be done. I have another appointment next week to see how im healing. I was told to not play ball for the time being and was prescribed some anti inflammatory pills. Right now my knee doesn't hurt. Yesterday I was on my feet quite a bit and I noticed I had some fluid in my knee when I went to bed. This morning when I woke up it seemed to have gone away through the night.
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