Leg Injury ? - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

twblondie · 04-30-2007, 05:10 AM

Hi there

As usual, this the only place I think I will get the answers and help I'm after !

I'm currently suffering from an awful pain in the front of my thigh. It feels like cramp and is hard to walk on, I feel like I'm limping when I walk

.

It started last week. I bought new trainers (Nike Air Max) and although I had been running for 30-40 mins in my old Nikes, this time it felt like I was pounding more harsh on the treadmill due to new trainers.

I excersise for about 2 hours a day every day and llast Monday I ran for 30 mins on the treadmill (in new trainers) before my Body Step class, then Tuesday, ran for 30 mins before my Body Pump class, and Wednesday I ran before my Body Step class again and that's when I started to first feel the pain in my thighs - as I was running they felt heavy and cramped up afterwards. However doing my step class relieved it somewhat. The next evening I did the same, ran before my circuits class but this time the pain was so bad it made me feel physically sick. The pain was initially in both thighs at the front and it felt like my legs had just seised up and I had really bad cramp. So I havent run since Thursday but have exercised. I did a Body Step class on Friday and lots of lunges and squats too and free weights for my upper body. I'm now really concerned because my right thigh has a constant niggly pain and is painful to walk on too. There is no way I could run on it at the moment as I know it would cramp up.

I'm so worried because I dont want to stop exercise, espcially running but having not run since Thursday and the pain is just as bad, I'm worried it wont go away unless I completely rest it. I cant do this. I'm on a strict diet and exercise regeime for my holiday in one month's time. I have worked so hard for the past 8 months to reach where I am now weight wise, I cannot bear to think that only a month away from my holiday, and my body wont be as good as it is now when I come to go away.

I think that the new trainers triggered this off as well.

I'm really missing the treadmill already.

Does anybody have any ideas as to what this muscle pain may be ? if it's serious ?

Thank you for listening

Naxis · 04-30-2007, 07:58 AM

It sounds like you have injured yourself, and if you don't stop to recover, you may end up doing permanent damage. I really doubt that the shoes are to blame unless they significantly altered your gait or are just really crappy. Usually bad shoes will cause problems in the joints (knees, hips) or calf/shin. I've never seen shoes cause problems in the quadriceps.
But based on what you're describing is sounds like a very serious pulled muscle or possibly a tear - it might not be an altogether bad idea to see a doctor to assess the extent of the damage. Continuing to exercise (for two hours a day every day??) on it is the worst thing you can do, and I think you already know that whether you want to believe it or not. Unfortunately, this is the kind of thing that excessive training does and it really derails your plans. If you're really freaking out about going inactive, you might see if you can swim without pain, use more upper body and leave the leg out of it so it can heal, but you must stop using that muscle. Take some ibuprofin and ice the sore spot for maybe 20 minutes a night for a week or so. It will help bring down the swelling and pain. Just know, for an injury like what you're describing, it can take 6 to 8 weeks to heal properly, so if pain starts to lessen and you hop back on the treadmill, you have a very good chance of making it worse all over again. Stay strict on your diet and you should be alright. Just please consider your safety and health first.

twblondie · 04-30-2007, 08:20 AM

Thank you so much for your very helpful and kind advice.
I really needed to hear some good advice like that. I think your right, I may just go to see my Doctor.
I'm panicking though 6-8 weeks !!!!!!!!!

oh no!!!!
I'm not a very strong swimmer so its something I wouldnt really be keen on doing.
Yes I am very strict on my diet too, I'll be even more obsessed with what I'm eating now.
Oh good grief - I just dont know what to do now !!! I could cry !!!!

Naxis · 04-30-2007, 10:02 AM

I really do feel your pain (pun intended

). The first major injury I got was a pulled hamstring while I was leaning out for vacation. I'd lay off it for a week, it stopped hurting, so I started running again and almost immediately it'd be worse than it was before. I was so impatient with the injury, what should have taken 6 weeks to heal ended up being *FOUR months* of no running. I found that I could do the eliptical on low incline and minimal resistance, so at least I had some recourse, but still. It threw me completely off, but now I know I have a better idea of my limits, I take better precautions, and I have a good reason to be patient with an injury.

Best of luck.

twblondie · 04-30-2007, 10:24 AM

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've been sat here all afternoon thinking of ways around it. Its mainly walking and running that I find irritates the pain and when I sit at my desk and get up, its like my leg has ceased up. It seems better if I do walk around on it ?!
I do star jumps and things like that too and that doesnt seem to hurt (I think because I do those on my toes, rather than using my whole foot). Also my trampette doesnt seem to affect it.
I really dont want to lay off the cardio. I'm wondering whether to stick to my trampette and maybe the cross trainer as i'm not pounding my foot that way ...I do need to do something for the last month before my holiday - at least I will have a 2 week break when I'm on holiday!