Yesterday , I scheduled my 2 hour run as a flat out and back.
30 mins into the run I felt acute pain in my right upper quad ( where the bottom of pockets hang on jeans for lack of a better way of describing the location).
I was running at 5mins/km which is the pace I hope to be running off the bike in my next race and the same pace that I have completed 3 marathons.
After 2 mins the pain also moved to my left quad and I was forced to stop for fear of doing further damage to my quads , which would interupt my training for IM Canada.
I was correctly hydrated and limber. It was not part of a brick run and I had last cycled 48 hours pior.
I was using a running shoe that I have comfortably run on for probably 150km’s. New Balance 826.
Anybody else ever have this kind of isolated strain ?
I do stretch daily in the shower AFTER all of my runs and rides , but not prior so this may have contributed. I have not used my roller either.
It is not the hip flexor as it is directly above the knee, 3/4 of the way to the groin…note front of thigh.
Ihave elevated , iced and compressed twice yesterday and twice today as well. Will see how it feels tomorrow , I will be attempting a 5 hour ride tomorrow if it feels ok.
Do you have a foam roller? If you roll that portion of the leg is it real tight and painful? I know when I cycle a lot that part hurts quite a bit when I foam roll it but it gets better with time. I wouldn’t worry about keeping it elevated and icing, that reduces blood flow and you want to keep blood flow up. I am not a believer in stretching before working out but after is good. I would just go easy and make sure you are rolling it out - that will help it get better 10x faster than any of the methods you are employing now. You could also see an ART person if you are impatient.
Trigger points in your rectus femoris from previous hard training? Try working on those first, branch out to vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and see if it goes away. The book in the link, by the way, is the one I recommend to anyone doing this sport, since muscles will get upset periodically and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve actually injured them.
If trigger point work doesn’t work, then you might have a slight strain.
I get trigger points in my rectus femoris regularly, and with a little self-work and weekly massage, they are no big deal.
Based on your description it sounds a little like an injury I used to get when I played tournament softball. An hour or two after the game I would have significant pain where you describe. I couldn’t walk DOWN stairs, no problem with UP. I went to a sports doc in Jax, Fl. The group handles the Jax Jaguars. He figured out that the strain was occuring when I would reach with the leg running to a base to beat a throw. Could you have been reaching (serious heel strike) during your run?
Do you have a foam roller? If you roll that portion of the leg is it real tight and painful? I know when I cycle a lot that part hurts quite a bit when I foam roll it but it gets better with time. I wouldn’t worry about keeping it elevated and icing, that reduces blood flow and you want to keep blood flow up. I am not a believer in stretching before working out but after is good. I would just go easy and make sure you are rolling it out - that will help it get better 10x faster than any of the methods you are employing now. You could also see an ART person if you are impatient.
I will get my foam roller out s I have recently moved and roll that area.
Trigger points in your rectus femoris from previous hard training? Try working on those first, branch out to vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and see if it goes away. The book in the link, by the way, is the one I recommend to anyone doing this sport, since muscles will get upset periodically and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve actually injured them.
If trigger point work doesn’t work, then you might have a slight strain.
I get trigger points in my rectus femoris regularly, and with a little self-work and weekly massage, they are no big deal.
YMMV.
That is a great link and very educational book. I will pick t up after trying the trigger point massae.
In retrospect it seems I may have a slight strain.
Just really odd that they both went within 3 mins of each other.
Based on your description it sounds a little like an injury I used to get when I played tournament softball. An hour or two after the game I would have significant pain where you describe. I couldn’t walk DOWN stairs, no problem with UP. I went to a sports doc in Jax, Fl. The group handles the Jax Jaguars. He figured out that the strain was occuring when I would reach with the leg running to a base to beat a throw. Could you have been reaching (serious heel strike) during your run?
I very much hope not as I have done the Pose workshop and have been running seriously for 10 years… BUT I did have a cycling accident where I had a sports hernia , left adductor injury and left inguinal tears. This happened last boxing day and are 85-90% healed. Running can be performd although the initial 5 mins requires a hobble like shuffle until the tendons/ligaments are warmed up.
I have been told that my running gait is not what it used to be though from a fellow runner and exercise physiologist , so perhaps this really is the origin of the problem and I should get agait analysis ?
Those adductor/groin/etc muscles are really hard to roll out or fix, it would be more than worthwhile to see an art guy to get them taken care of if you haven’t tried that.
I have my rehabilitative physiotherapist who works on them but not nearly enough as it is not covered under my medical package unforunately , oddly enough.
I will probably get an MRI done in September after IM Canada and see if I need surgery to repair.
