Dealing with a Strained thigh muscle.....need help.

[Souljah]

Hi

I was stretching in single split position the other day and pushed abit too hard on my right thigh to straighten up - I then heard a click, not like a bone click, but from the top of the muscle near the buttock.
Now it is very hard to even do simple stretches on that leg and kicks really arent possible without a small warm up, especially back kicks.

I just wanted to know what you guys would recommend I do to try and get back on track.....should i slowly continue to stretch it back to normal? Give it a rest without any use? Do exercises relating to that muscle to help strengthen it? A mixture?

Please, anything you could recommend because I dont seem to be making any progress here

Lunges and squats seem to target that muscle quite well, and stance work would probably be ok too, I can bare to do these, it doesnt hurt, it just feels strained. But stretching as I used to is just not possible yet.

Thanks in anticipation.

-greg

[wall]

Assuming you are fairy young (say under 20-25):

1 - rest - 1 week

2 - warm up plenty and gentle stretches - 1 week

3 - gradual return to normal activity - 1 week

Total time back to your normal training routine = 3 weeks

It will feel like it's fine after a few days, and you will be tempted to do more, but trust me don't: a chronic repetitive pulling / tearing / inflammation of those muscles will lead to months of constant re-injuring and stop-start training. Better 3 easy weeks than 6+ wasted months.

W

[Souljah]

thanks wall, that sounds good - but the thing is its been 6 days and it feels tight as ever - in which time I havent really done any serious stretching, though I have focussed more on leg related exercises.

[wall]

Well you have ... "I have focussed more on leg related exercises" ... rest in the first week means REST, as in sitting or walking, not leg exercises! :) They use the strained muscle you know, and inflame it further!

NOTHING for 1 week.

LIGHT warm-up and LIGHT stretching for 1 week.

SLOWLY returning to normal activity for 1 week.

:)

[Souljah]

lol yea i guess, but i just thought that the excercies i was doing was relatively mild and didnt really harm, thanks

though it will be hard to avoid doing leg work, i will try:)

[IronFist]

Ouch! I don't think I've ever heard of anything like before. Hope you get better soon! Keep us updated.

[Souljah]

it had been a week and I went back to the gym yesterday to work on my leg. I took it easy still but it feels alot better now and I'm gradually stretching and strengthening it back to its previous state - trying not to overdo it like before of course.....

I found it really hard to avoid excersises that might strain it though as I have alot included in my routine(s) that do so...

Anyway, the real purpose of this post was to say thanks for the advice and thanks for your concern IF.

-greg