Will it ever Heal!!

Can any one out there offer advice? I've been playing football since start of season, August 2008, for the first time in about 10 years. At 31 I was feeling okay when I started but now seem to have a recurring thigh injury that no matter how much rest I give it, it just had 3 weeks with no exercise, it flairs up again and again.

Can any one suggest any strengthening exercises, supports, creams, etc that I can do, buy, apply etc in order that I can continue playing for the rest of the season?

Thanks for all your help.

Hello Wol77,

First of all, Happy New Year! Hope it may be a healthy, prosperous and joyfull one.

If you are serious to get rid of complaints you might want to seek professional treatment (as in at a practice rather than via internet) because I/we can have an idea of what might be wrong but not to see you in person and not being able to do a proper physical assessment makes that it will stay guess-work.
To have and keep a healthy body means that you'll have to put some time and energy (and probably some money) into it!

To come to your question, I'd need some more information about you nd your complaint to help you.

Can you tell me/us what your compaint is, as in: pain (what kind of pain) or stifness or a certain feeling? Can you describe where and what you feel and also tell when you mostly feel it. (how can you provoce the pain or feeling)

Eg. everytime I take of for a sprint I feel a sharp pain, like a knife, in the middle of my hamstrings.

Can you also explain what you do when it is painfull or uncomfortable and what happens after. How long does the compaints stay present for? (Eg. for about an hour after training, all day every day, stiff in the morning but no pain if no running)

Eg. when that sharp pain occurs I stop running and than the pain imidiately becomes less. After rubbin it a bit I can continue running but every sprint it hits me hard.

WHat have you done yourself to get rid of the compaints besides taking rest?
(Eg. stretching, massage)

Also good to know is a little about yourself, age, job, lifestyle etc.
Have you played soccer before and if not what else?
Medical history, (surgeries, broken bones, previous injuries on the legs or lower back)

Hope you are able to give some of that information and than we'll take it from there.
Please know that I'm not able to use a computer daily and might not respond as quickly as you want. Still the information you post here will also be helpfull for others to help you.

Take care.
Kind Regards,

Eline.

Dear Eline

Thank you for coming back to me regarding the injury and Happy New Year to you also.

In response:
Complaint - The current pain is located at the front of my upper leg - looking at the internet i would guess at the Bicep Femoris muscle (though don't quote me on that - but it looks like the most obvious muscle affected). The pain at its worst, usually the day after a match and for the next 2-3 days, is a sharp pain to the touch and feels like it's pulling when walking - I can lightly jog but definately feel it pulling then. The pain does subside after this period but I know it is still present if I put my leg through any strenous exercise. I generally apply ibroprofen cream and wear tubular bandages for several days to try to help support the muscle - what help this does I'm not 100% sure!

The main cause is obvoiusly playing football, I only really take dogs for walk as other form of exercise. I apply heat cream before playing and strap up both thighs as a preventative measure during the game - though as a result I think that when the muscle pulls - with adrenaline mixed in with the supports, I don't notice the pull until later in the day or even the next day. Up until that point it could just be muscle fatigue from playing the 90 minutes.

Generally I just rest it and apply ice if can as well as the supports and cream. Once constant pain subsides i do light stretching of the muscles just to help with the healing process. Massage in the first couple of days is too sore but do lightly massage in bath to try to loosen the muscle a bit.

About myself: Age 31, Job - generally desk bound so not putting muscle under any great pressure. I have played football before, 2 years ago for a season and had same injury but knew this was due to a lack of warming up, something I am religious about now, and near end of season so battled for 3/4 games and then stopped playing. I did break my ankle 2 years ago but dont have any side affects from that currently.

Hopefully that provides some information and any advice you think you are able to give is greatly appreciated. Any more information let me know.

Regards

Richard