Recent Injury - Decision trees HELP!

[Tommaso]

Sorry for intrusion. Hopefully I might serve as a case.


Am Italian presently in Taiwan. Ex-kickboxer. Coach since 25 years , got injured today , am sort of optionless locally because if going to a doc here being a foreigner the doc says : " what do you want me to do ?" In this case I don't know the answer to that


My own long time collaborating orthopaedic Doc passed on to a better world a few months ago - so I'm not covered right now regarding advise .


Case : I was PR Deadlifting today (more R than I would allow any of my own trainees to attempt) , heard a popping noise , sharp pain in the right hamstrings area , feeling of something 'coming loose' somehow, droped bar.
Large pain , weakness , can flex the knee , can not bend at the hip without very intense aggravation of pain.
Presently icing the swelling that is still growing.

Whats the decisional steps to follow here?
What would I ask that doc to do/examine if those steps lead into a hospital?

Sorry again for asking so bluntly.
Any info or referrals welcome.

T.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

T,

Sorry to hear this happened. Hoping you're feeling a bit better today. I can not comment for sure whether or not you injured your hamstring (or adductor), but it is possible.

From a medical standpoint, the management would depend on the function you have. Sounds like most of your discomfort is in the proximal thigh near the hip. A complete tear (grade III) needs to be evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon with a physical exam and likely some imaging (ultrasound and/or MRI). Other factors discovered on physical exam may also warrant surgery. Lower grade tears don't really require evaluation unless symptoms persist despite adequate rehab.

If it were me, I'd use the amount of pain I'm in, any other symptoms I have, along with current function to determine whether or not I need to go see my physician.

Regarding what to do training-wise, the article here is a general guideline:

https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/pain-in-training-what-do/

If you need more specific advise, a consultation with our pain and rehab team may be beneficial.

[Tommaso]

Thanks a lot for the prompt answer.

In the meantime the thing decided itself effortlessly
(It got sorta bad so I'll definitely go through the emergency department and get an MRI asap)

I'll buzz Your Pain & Rehab team after that if anything is seeming blah.


The article I read previously along with pretty much all Your material and listened to every podcast episode too.

I'll use the occasion to send a big fat THANKS , DOC(S)! Your way
I coached in 12 countries since my lucky first encounter with Your stuff and Your guidance , insights and approaches have become part of what my trainees benefit from.
That is a rather varied group of people , Elderly and folks with recurrent injuries , boxers and other martial artists , firemen , military contractors in Okinawa, a group of ballet dancers based in Rome.

All of them benefitting from Your efforts .

Right On !

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Awesome. Happy to hear about it.

[Tommaso]

Obliged !

Because I'm old school and can't stand loose ends,
the findings:

MRI scan displayed Semimembranosus Muscle Tears Grade 2

Orthopaedic surgeon said he was on the fence about performing surgery

My opinion about a surgeon on a fence is: Conservative Treatment (+ consult again in 2 weeks) and he laughed (which I took as a good omen)

Am doing 3 days mostly resting + my go-to thing for all soft tissue damage/unwanted inflammation: Ginger Packs.

Coming from an Italian boxing/kickboxing background Ginger Packing was what everyone around me was doing.
= Just the reasonable, normal thing one would do
In the meantime I got out into the world and noticed that isn't even an option thought of by everyone/everywhere. Which in my modest , totally personal opinion is a pity ! If anyone wants to know more about how we use that : don't hesitate to ask, happy to share my experience with it.