Torn muscles

[tetsumaru]

OK i Searched the threads here and I was surprised that I didn't find anything regarding this subject but then again how many of you prance around like a ballerina at home...just me I guess....

So I pulled a muscle on my thigh one day when i jumped up off the couch and did a flying splits over the coffee table...seriously i did that...it was kind of not so masculine but yeah i did it!

I pulled it again and again...and again...and I think one more time. The first or second "again" was pretty bad. I did a kick-up and "whammy!" my thigh began to swell.

I immediately had some accupuncture done on it because thankfully I was training with this guy who is trained to do that sort of stuff. So he stabbed me with some needles and I laid low on training. I think it was the 3rd "again" that it was really really bad. My leg literally had swollen up so much that i couldn't move it. I think my body was telling me I should stop ****ing around. Mind you none of these "again"s really invovled any sort of MA training. Just me acting like a banana loving monkey gone bananas. About a day after that happened with all the swelling the drainage began and area around my knee looked like i had just gotten in a kicking match with a muay thai boxer (however there was nothing wrong with my knee...it was my thigh remember).. I had the same guy who is well versed in TCM stab me some more. It helped. I forgot to mention during the whole in between being a complete idiot and having accupuncture i was following the RICE method for torn muscles (rest, Ice, I forget "c", and elevate).

So Chiropractors/kinesiologists dont help with torn muscles...i found that out $45 after the fact. I got rid of health insurance so i could get paid more money that is why i never went to see a real doctor. Some of my friends are Doctors in Training though and they said to sit on my ass and rest. I did for a little while. I then went to a TCM doctor "near" me. He electrocuted me with some needles and within 2 sessions I was %90 better
. So I started training again...and I pulled it again just a little bit.

So my question is, Can i replace my leg with a cool bionic leg or is there way out of this vicious cycle?

[doc]

Stop with the not so masculine ballerina over the coffee table shit.

And give the leg a rest. Stop having people put steel in your legs.

Two issues.

One, serious trauma to leg muscles (and I doubt you have this, this is usually with crush injuries) can lead to some significant edema in the tissue compartments. The muscles are surrounded by tough fascia; these fascial layers keep the muscles in place, and, act as a barrier to infection. The problem is, they don't swell like muscle and skin can. Significant muscle swelling can lead to increased pressure in these fascial compartments, which, can then lead to diminished arterial blood inflow to said compartments. Muscle ischemia and death can occur.

Second, hematoma's in these fascial compartments can get infected. Sticking acupuncture needles deep through the dirty skin, through the fascial layers, into the swollen bruised muscle tissues might be an avenue to infection. You don't want to deal with that.

Stay away from the needles and such. Give it a rest. It will get better. And if your feet / ankles start to look pale / swollen, purplish, with feelings of numbness / pins and needles, seek medical attention right away.

And if you're going to use a couch, get yourself some recovering alcoholic hottie and put it to good use.

[tetsumaru]

i wouldn't have thought about the needles thing. Thanks for the info.

I am working on getting the recovering alcoholic hottie on my couch...sordid affair it is...perhaps another forum another time

[Rob_Hollett]

I probably do something like this at least a few times a year, some more serious than others, but between MA and Skateboarding I am prone to injury. I spent half of last year with water on my knee. But pulled and or torn muscles really only heal with time, there are no shortcuts. just follow the rice principle and you'll recover.

R=Rest- this one is the most important
I=Ice- do this immediately to avoid the tissue swelling and continue to use it everyday
C= Compression - a good brace is worth its weight in gold when it comes to support
E=Elevation - this will also help the swelling as it will make it harder for fluids to gather in the tissue

I just got over twisting my knee pretty bad in an 11 foot pool it took about two weeks to get back into Class and be able to put all my weight on it. That was two weeks of Staying off it besides necessary walking, wearing a brace, Icing everyday and elevating while I slept.

one other thing, just my opinion but I think you should seriously reconsider the health insurance thing. Anyone involved in any kind of physical activity but especially thinge like Martial Arts is running a huge gamble not being insured

[doc]

Just so you know, there is a running debate on the prolonged ice thing. Some people go with ice for a longer period of time, some, for only two days (until the injury stabilizes, and the swelling stops). At that time, to help reabsorb the fluid in the tissues, some people will apply heat.

Personally, I go with the cold then heat method. The heat feels good...