Hamstring Injury Recuperation - Day 1

I emailed my vet and running coach to let him know the news that I'd torn my hamstring on the trapeze and to get some advice on recuperation. Here was Brian's reply:

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Great news- you'll have an awesome bruise a few days after it stops hurting!

My medical advice based on years of experience drinking-just wanted you to know it wasn't based on expertise- for a severe tear rather than a "tweak" is:

1. Absolute rest for 10-14 days. Consider walking an extreme sport, anything more IS STUPID. No stretching until walking without pain.

2. Lots of ice, ice and more ice for leg, but none in the Scotch. It ruins it. If it needs ice, drink better Scotch.

3. Ibuprofen is fine, but no need to go nuts. That inflammation is part of the healing response, and no reason to "cover it up" with meds when (a) you're not in training (b) with a bad tear you can take the whole bottle and it isn't going to make it feel great anyway.

4. You can go to Mike the Dr (our personal physician, who is also a cyclist) if you're not sure about the diagnosis.

5. Physio helps your recovery, but would be more important for you if you need to be back faster or if it tore as a result of your desired training (i.e. running). When you have 4 - 5 weeks [until I start formal training for Boston] anyway and it was a result of swinging through the trees in the jungle naked and drunk, I'd just wait to see if you can start to run without pain in 2-3 weeks and go from there.

6. Drink more, worry less.

7. As you alluded to earlier, if it's not getting better there is always another "option" on the table. [Brian is a veterinarian, so the "option" is that he could just put me to sleep.]

- Dr B
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So I took his advice and stopped putting ice in my Scotch, and always asked for the better Scotch (they had 8 year old or 12 year old -- so I'd ask for the latter) at the bar. We kept putting ice on it. I stopped taking ibuprofen. Limited walking and no stretching, although a certain amount is simply going to happen by moving around and trying to get comfortable.

We took the crutches back to the nurse. It was actually more painful using the crutches, now, than it was shuffling/hobbling around on my own.