Squat Problem - Pulling Upper Hamstring

[Hellawulf]

Yesterday I was squatting fairly light (only 220 pounds) and at about the fourth rep, all the sudden a sharp pain shot up my leg, I pushed the weight up and racked it and quit on squats. Now whenever I sit down or move my leg a certain way it almost in between the groin and the hamstring. So I figure I pulled my upper hamstring or part of my groin. I've been doing really well these past 4 weeks on my diet and workout plan and don't want to slow down now. I had a nick at that same muscle about a week and a half ago, but it felt better the next day and so I went about my usual routine. Now it still hurts kinda bad, so I figure I prob can't squat this week, but biking doesn't seem to bother it much, so I figure I can still do my HIIT, and usual workout routine, just without squat. What do you guys think? Any ideas on how I can get this thing to heal quickly?

Appreciate any advice!!

Thank you!

P.S. Also what can I do to prevent this next time. When I got a massage the other day, I was told that my left leg (the side which got the pull - but that was after the massage) seemed to be more muscular than my right leg. My left leg has always been my main striking leg in martial arts, so it is def slightly stronger, and when I'm at college the only squat rack I have access to is part of a smith machine, connected to the sides giving you full motion up, down, back and forth, but not side to side. And I noticed when I first came off of it onto a true squat rack at my summer gym that I had a slight problem rotating my hips. I've focused a lot on keeping my form even at higher weights, and it looked as if I had stopped doing that, but all I can figure is maybe I'm still slightly doing that and that may be what caused the pull. What do ya'll think?

 

[machine23]

You might have to slow down a bit. Tht happen to me and it took about 4 weeks.. Thing is i still kept tring to workout on it and that just made it take longer to heal. It hurts like a mF..

 

[Hellawulf]

So would you suggest just taking a break from squatting for a couple weeks until it feels perfect? Last time, it didn't feel perfect, it just felt slightly sore the next time squats came around so I worked out on it. I think the problem was that I just didn't let it heal all the way, but I think I can get away with doing HIIT.

 

[stevesmi]

warmup more and better.. probably a nice walk on the treadmill is your best bet. DO NOT STRETCH

you can also wrap up the hammy and drop the weight. once you build consistency build up the weight again.

 

[machine23]

So would you suggest just taking a break from squatting for a couple weeks until it feels perfect? Last time, it didn't feel perfect, it just felt slightly sore the next time squats came around so I worked out on it. I think the problem was that I just didn't let it heal all the way, but I think I can get away with doing HIIT.

What stevemi said... But personally for me I couldn't do treadmill.. It hurt my hamstring but stairmaster worked good for me. I wouldn't do any leg exercise that hurts your hamstring. But try like leg press and see how your hamstring feels.. See what hurts and doesn't hurt basically.

 

[stevesmi]

also a lot of heat.. do not ICE it down. you might think its helping but its only slowing down healing .. you want the blood to flow in there and speed up healing.

also i recommend massage and/or acupuncture treatments.. you will need a couple of those

 

[Hellawulf]

also a lot of heat.. do not ICE it down. you might think its helping but its only slowing down healing .. you want the blood to flow in there and speed up healing.

also i recommend massage and/or acupuncture treatments.. you will need a couple of those

I will be going to a massage therepist this saturday. I'm not sure if she'll be down for going at my groin though... haha. (I'm new to the massage thing, just went for the first time about 2 weeks ago) I iced it yesterday, so that's something I wouldn't have known. thank you! I'll start using the heating pad instead. I'll try to replace squats with something that doen't hurt it for a while until it feels better. I'm not really sure which muscle is pulled for sure, its like in between my groin and my muslce, I'm almost leaning more towards groin.

This is really dissapointing though. I just don't want this to set me back from the results I've been seeing.

 

[b fold the truth]

The two worst things you can do:

1) Nothing

2) Too Much

It is probably coming from something else being tight. Head to the hardware store and buy a 3' long piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe...and do some "foam" rolling on it before training, after, and at night too.

Heat before and at least one other time a day...ice once if you have pain. ThermaFlex works THE BEST and I think NeedTo has some type of product that I've heard great things about.

I've torn both hamstrings...one much MUCH worse than the other (black from butt to toes, could not walk).

Find ways to train around it...get it warm in the gym, lots of warm up sets, push when and where you can!

 

[Hellawulf]

The two worst things you can do:

1) Nothing

2) Too Much

It is probably coming from something else being tight. Head to the hardware store and buy a 3' long piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe...and do some "foam" rolling on it before training, after, and at night too.

Heat before and at least one other time a day...ice once if you have pain. ThermaFlex works THE BEST and I think NeedTo has some type of product that I've heard great things about.

I've torn both hamstrings...one much MUCH worse than the other (black from butt to toes, could not walk).

Find ways to train around it...get it warm in the gym, lots of warm up sets, push when and where you can!

Thank you, I'll have to check into the roller!