What is the best support for a quad muscle injury? I was playing in a competition yesterday and the games were in pools, so after my eigth game my quad (large muscle at the front of the leg) was very sore, I put some Ibuprofen gel on it to see me through the last couple of games but today it is extremely sore and walking is difficult let alone going up and down stairs. I would think it is to do with planting down on the right foot and the multiple games have taken its toll on the muscle. I was thinking of support shorts (like cycling shorts) or possibly a tube grip or simmilar bandage. Has anyone else encountered a simmilar injury? Is there anything else that would help, not to get rid of the pain but to offer support to the muscle?
Try here: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/leg_injuries/a/aa031501a.htm Ibuprofen is good for short periods to increase the blood supply to damaged tissue, increasing the rate at which it heals. ICE immediately after any activity; Compression - you might try one of the tubigrips from Boots or one of the other pharmacists. I can't imagine (or at least I don't want to imagine) you trying to squeeze into a pair of cycling shorts while sitting at home watching your Monster Trucks. I know those things are stretchy, but no way are they that big. Some gentle flexion of the knee might also be helpful; in short, the best remedy is rest (keeping the leg elevated). Quadricep injuries are usually caused by an imbalance of muscle between the hamstring and quadricep; so, working that specific muscle group may prevent further injuries. However, I dare say that the injury was primarily caused by the unusually long badminton session. Although I'm in much better shape now than when I first started back, if I try to play intensively for more than 3hrs on one specific day, my calf muscles become very sore and tired to the extent that I can scarcely walk for the following two days or so. This is why (despite so many who try to deny it) fitness and muscle conditioning are so important for playing badminton at a fair level.
rest is a cure for every injury i have had. but but build up after starting again otherwise you may injure it more.
Well I was thinking of the thigh support from Vulcan which is a single leg support, the problem with support shorts is that they probably would not fit because both my thighs are not the same size which is annoying. Anyway cycling shorts/support shorts are a fasion "no no", they would only be beneficial to support both thighs when playing again James, I can't rest. No matter what the injury, I do try to play through them. Not always advisable. The last thing is trying to build up any muscle in my leg(s), they are very large probably due to the amount of martial arts I used to do a few years ago. Probably my right one is larger because when I kicked I used my left because I am left footed when playing football so in both sports the right leg bore the weight and has built itself up more than the left one. Sometimes I have to size up in jeans just so I can get my thighs in, not good. If only I could loose some muscle bulk. Yfan it is probably due to the amount of time I played for, the problem was that the competition was very busy and there were large gaps of time in between matches and the cooling down period probably did not help me get ready for other matches later on and as a result has done my leg in.
I know, I can't too! However in cases of ankle sprains, and back aches, I feel it is better to play through them. But in muscle tears, they just need time, otherwise they can trouble you for life. If you really cant rest try a support, but i think they are a waste of money. Better just try something to help heal quicker, massage, hot baths, healthy diet, good sleep.
Massage and Hot baths are a possibility - Healthy Diet and good sleep are not an option and never have been
I had this injury about this time last year. I played through to the rest of the match but nearly had to take the next day off work because I couldn't manage the stairs!! Got a bit better the next day but I took two weeks off badminton plus a lot of massaging to the muscle to get it completely right. Coming back into the game, I played some doubles initially, gradually building up strength again. Didn't even try a support. I spoke to one of our National players who also had this injury whilst training in Denmark and he suggested the rest and massage.
I hope I don't show my ignorance - what is analgesia? - I am assuming some kind of chronic pain because the gel sure does help with sore backs!! Cheung - might be the right time to take a break after all, badminotn in Glasgow shuts down for Christmas
'analgesia' means painlessness in Greek, whence analgesic - pain relieving drug such as paracetamol. Actually, ibuprofen is chiefly an anti-inflammatory; it doesn't offer much pain relief, which is why British medics often advise taking it along with Codeine or paracetamol.
Actually, ibuprofen does give analgesia - pain relief, and such it is an 'analgesic'. I won't claim that it is a panacea for all pain states. ibuprofen belongs to that class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Same as diclofenac, sulindac. These block the cycloxygenase enzyme as mentioned before by somebody else I think. Different NSAIDs have a range of blocking profiles as cyclooxygenase(COX) enzyme has subtypes now identified as COX1, COX2 and recently COX3. Why it is important is that COX enzyme produces prostaglandins responsible for pain - so block the action of COX e.g. with ibuprofen, and there are less prostaglandins produced and less pain. Rubbing any sort of balm on to an injury is likely to increase blood flow to that area. So why put ice on it? Is our erstwhile yonexfan2003 a budding British medic? Dill, Christmas sounds like a good time for a break in UK. Everything stops for about 2 weeks, and then you get to play in freezing cold gyms....
Oh no, different academic field altogether, though, related in one respect. That's strange, because in Britain G.P.'s & al. don't usually refer to ibuprofen as an analgesic; the say, "try ibuprofen or if that's not good on your stomach, some analgesics...". Compression, ice, ibuprofen: I was just listing different treatments; I wasn't suggesting Dill should try them all at once. Ice is good immediately after activity, ibuprofen during the rest period. In any case, I defer to the knowledge of Cheung; yet may I just say that the most enjoyable treatment, Dill, would be a massage? - might be a bit expensive though
Anyone know what Carola Bott is doing over the christmas period? Might be expensive but worth it!! Because it's christmas I could try and get something done on the national elf service - sorry I couldn't resist that old festive gag Thanks guys
Dill, are you sure it's the muscle and not a tendon? e.g. quadriceps tendonitis. A sort of dull pain just above the knee. I had that a while back and it went away after a few days. I wouldn't have expected anti-inflammatories to be much help for a muscle injury (but I am no expert) generally speaking, muscles will heal by themselves quicker than tendons, and much quicker than ligaments, due to the amount of blood supply they get. Muscles get more blood than tendons and ligaments so the body can fix them faster. Ice is to restrict blood flow to reduce swelling (as with sprains) so may be counter-productive. Heat treatments (e.g. ralgex) are supposed to promote blood supply. So the appropriate treatment depends on the actual injury.
Definatley the muscle I havn't put ice on it as I thought ice should only be applied immediatley after the injury has occured and not a day or so later. The Ibuprofen gel helped on the day as I was able to carry on with only small twinges when I was landing and lunging as I didn't want to withdraw and let my doubles partner down. It is OK to walk on but stairs are very painfull to negotiate!!
