Fifty Plus (50+) - Hamstring Pull for us 50 +

I have been training for my annual Sprint Triathlon. My goal is to have a better time every year until I'm 60. I am currintly 55 and I started this goal at age 50. So far so good but while I was running the other night I pulled my Hamstring. I can swim, ride the bike and walk without any pain but any running or even very slow jogging is uncomfortable.

Anyone have any miracle remedies for me. The triathlon is July 13th. Please help. :(

You've got some time which is good. OK here's my completely unprofessional opinion, based on my own experience. These things seem to help:

1. Lots of gentle stretching--I sometimes do this in a sauna, which also seems to help.
2. Massage by a professional massage therapist
3. Hot tub
4. Rest and do the activities you can do without pain.
5. Maybe advil or similar--but I don't generally use the stuff
6. Maybe ice?
7. Lower your expectations. Listen to your body. Do not listen to your ego. Or anybody else's ego.

I have been training for my annual Sprint Triathlon. My goal is to have a better time every year until I'm 60. I am currintly 55 and I started this goal at age 50. So far so good but while I was running the other night I pulled my Hamstring. I can swim, ride the bike and walk without any pain but any running or even very slow jogging is uncomfortable.

Anyone have any miracle remedies for me. The triathlon is July 13th. Please help. :(

With but a month to go I think you may need some professional help. The hard part of this sort of injury is that reinjury due to haste is much worse than the original. Get thee to a sports medicine specialist.

Seeing a sports medicine Dr. is a good way to go. You did not say how you "pulled your hamstring". If you were doing all out sprints and tore the muscle then July 13 is pretty close, however, if you just strained the hamstring then you'll have some options. If you are recently hurt then ice is one way to start the healing process. Take zip lock bags of ice and sit on them for 20 to 30 minutes at a time then let the leg warm back up then do the ice bag again do that several times a day for the first few days. Also take ibroprophen to reduce swelling. Just putting heat on the muscle when the injury first occcurs is not the way to go. Don't push the streching too much or too soon, start out easy and allow plenty of time between streches. Being a former track and field athlete, I've had my share of hamstring issues. Running a 5 K will not put the same stress on the muscle as doing some activity that requires fast movements that require the leg to be brought back under your body quickly. In running the hamstring is used to bring the leg back under the hip so the quads can push/unload. Good luck and don't push it too soon. Speaking from experience, once you get back to running, after a ham string injury, the ham string will let you know it's there, it may hurt but wont burn (burning not good). You will feel some pain or sensation. As long as you aren't running 200m repeats or down hill sprints you should be able to work thru the injury by adding a little more each workout.