Hamstring tear

[Ello]

Long story short,

I was doing sprints, and I tore my hamstring on the second one. I know I tore my hamstring because I tore both of them doing high school track, so I remember the feeling and aftermath.

Been on Bill Star's rehab for the past 3 days. No other heavy work. Icing my hamstring after the workout. Here lies in the problem/question:

My hamstrings are sore as hell, Rip. I'm eating about 4000 calories right now, 245lbs 5'10". Getting about 8-10 hours of sleep. I don't know what else to do.

Can I foam roll or apply heat sometime before my workouts?

My logic tells me this would be a bad idea because application of heat or mechanical movement could dilate the capillary beds in my torn muscle, thereby shifting the fluid into the extracellular space, which is what we want to avoid by icing (among other benefits as well).

Still, it's the 7th day since it happened, so it might have healed sufficiently where that might not happen. I'm really shooting in the dark right now though. What are your thoughts Rip? Yay or Nay on the heat/foam rolling?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Bothy hamstrings are sore? But you tore one of them. Are they sore from the rehab?

[Ello]

Bothy hamstrings are sore? But you tore one of them. Are they sore from the rehab?

Both hamstrings are sore from the rehab (I tore the left one recently however), but, today is the 6th day and the soreness is gone.

The first two days were extremely difficult for me. I could barely manage 15 reps per set on the first day (I ended up doing extra sets to get the full 75 reps in). The volume from the first few days might've been the stimulus, or it could've been the sprinting that caused the soreness. Either way, I thought that if the rehab was the cause of the soreness that there was no way I'd be able to make it the full 2 weeks. But, with simply icing, adequate sleep, multivitamins & fish oil, I've made it through the 6th day.

At this point, I'm going with the thought process of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", but I'm still curious about your thoughts on heat and foam rolling.

Thanks for the reply, Rip!

[Mark Rippetoe]

Heat is good pre-workout. Ice is quite useful for muscle belly tears, although not terribly useful for connective tissue stuff and low backs. Foam rolling does not replace massage because on a 4" diameter cylinder the force is directed straight down -- the massage applies the force at an angle to actually shear on the fascias and stretch them. If I were you, I'd get my legs worked on by a vicious lesbian-with-a-grudge massage therapist.

[Justinnnnnn]

If I were you, I'd get my legs worked on by a vicious lesbian-with-a-grudge massage therapist.

You just described my cousin. Except she is a diehard Christian who doesn't know she is a lesbian yet, so the aggression is amplified all the more. Makes for a good massage though.

[Ello]

Heat is good pre-workout. Ice is quite useful for muscle belly tears, although not terribly useful for connective tissue stuff and low backs. Foam rolling does not replace massage because on a 4" diameter cylinder the force is directed straight down -- the massage applies the force at an angle to actually shear on the fascias and stretch them. If I were you, I'd get my legs worked on by a vicious lesbian-with-a-grudge massage therapist.

Not sure if I replied to this or not. If I did, feel free to delete this post.

Thanks for the response. I think I'll start applying some heat pre-workout, and I'll take your advice on the vicious massage. I don't know any lesbians-with-a-grude, but I know of a stressed out massage therapist. We'll see how that translates into a good massage.

Thanks again, Rip!