Hamstring injury while deployed. PLEASE HELP!! D:

[Biokugon1]

Hello everybody!

About 4 weeks ago, I was challenged to a race by one of my fellow shipmates. Being 22 years old, I couldn't back down from the challenge. So after work, we got changed met up... Then set up to sprint about 50 yards. I exploded off the line-- but my shipmate was much faster than myself. At about 40 yards, I realized there was no way that I would win. I was at top speed, and he was a good arms length ahead of me. I started slowing down, and as I did so, a loud "POP!" came from my left hamstring. It was immediately followed by pain, and resulted in me having to limp for the next few minutes. After that, I showered and went to bed.

The hamstring injury continued bringing me pain. I am usually a pretty decent squatter, and deadlifter. On a decent squat day, I could lowbar 520x5. I could deadlift 530x5. I treated this injury as if it was just a muscle pull, and tried just hitting light weight for more reps. This worked wonders.

Fast forward to tonight. I squatted pretty light (345x5 of 3 sets), to try to warm up my hamstrings. They were feeling good. No pain to report. I decided today was the day that I would try my muscle on a 500 deadlift. Boy, do I regret that decision. I ramped up to the weight, just a I have in the past. I decided to pull 3 singles of 505. At the first sign of pain, I would stop. The first rep flew up easily. I felt pretty confident! The second rep was a little tougher. Came up a little slower. As it reached my knees, I felt an all too familiar pop in my left hamstring, followed by pain. The pain is not as intense as it was the first time, but it is certainly enough for me to question-- Where the heck do I go from here? How should I go about rehabbing this injury? Does this sound like a pull, or a tear? I don't want to go to sic call over this, because I am still able to walk with almost no pain; and even if I do go, I will just be given ibuprofen most likely. PLEASE HELP A BROTHA' OUT!

[sowilson]

Ice it, rest it, forget about weights for awhile, and work on stretching it and doing things that will work it (lunges, some running). Let pain/discomfort be your guide. You can also try supporting it (wrap, ace bandage, diagonal taping followed by ace bandage, or KT tape). My son plays football in college and during a scrimmage against another school he had a guy roll on the back of his leg and his hamstring let loose. Cost him about 3 weeks, still can't long snap, he has therapy on it twice a day. Fast forward last Saturday. Blocking for field goal (OLine interlock legs), the OT next to him jammed his leg a bit and his HS tweeked again. He'll probably have issues with it for the rest of the season. Go to sick call, find someone who looks to be an athletic trainer type to work with you on it. These things have a tendency to linger.

[AKATREX]

RICE is in order.
Rest / Ice / Compression / Elevation.

Don't F around with Hamstring Pulls.

Hamstring the Biceps of the Leg. In medicine its called the Biceps Femoris.

Grade 1 up to 3 weeks. Grade 2 - 2 to 8 weeks. Grade 3 as much as 12 weeks.

Be smart when resuming your training as Hamstring Injuries seem to reoccur and reoccur for those that do not heed the warnings.

[fourx]

Tore my hamstring years ago playing football (UK).

Honestly, you just have to rest it like the guys have suggested (RICE).

I tried to go a 5k race way before I was ready to and tore it almost instantly again.

If you have a strain (which is just a minor tear) it won't heal properly until you rest it. It may improve but if you carry on it will go again sooner or later. It will also cause you issues later in life if you carry a weak hamstring with you.

Seriously, rest it and get it 100% healthy. Hamstrings are notorious for repeating, so don't take the chance otherwise you will be back to square one soon.

Consider a deep tissue massage too. If you tear a muscle it will form up with scar tissue, which is stiff and will tear more easily than muscle. A deep tissue massage can help to get rid of it and get your hamstring back to 100%.