Hurt Hamstring, how long to stay off bike?
 

About 1.5 weeks ago I think I hurt my hamstring riding. I had done some hard efforts after not being on the bike for awhile and noticed a slight soreness and pain along the back of my leg up all the way up to my butt. I've been off the bike since then and while my butt feels better my left leg is still a bit sore.

I'm wondering how long I should let this slight pain keep me from riding (it's starting to get really nice outside here in CA). I haven't limped or anything at any time, it's just a slight soreness. I'm willing to take time off if I need to but sometimes you hear that exercising can help.

Anyone else had a similar experience and can share anything with me?

I've had good success curing my injuries by never letting an injury recover 100%. That is just me.

I would jump back on the bike, lower the intensity, & listen to my body which will tell me either to get off the bike immediately, & come back another day, hang in there I can take this a little longer but in no way am I going to ride through pain, or increase the intensity slightly, dependant on the pain obviously.

Eat well, sleep well, introduce a sound stretching/flexibility program when recovered.

When recovered & back riding, the feeling of even a slight twinge or pull, get off the bike for 5 minutes & stretch it out. Ride home at a lower intensity.

Thanks for the response. Maybe I'll try some light riding tomorrow or the next day and see how it goes. I actually don't feel the pain much when I'm riding, say, to school (it's mostly just once I stop). So for this reason I guess I'll need to be extra careful not to push it.

Spot on.

this is self regulating. meaning - if you can ride on it - it's OK. especially considering the symptoms you described.

this can not be said of all injuries of course - such as IT Band syndrome (which has nothing to do with the hammy)

to help it feel better sooner - hot bath soaks with epsom salt - 20 min min. some massage. small amounts of magnesium supplements

there's a huge range of hamstring injuries you can get, and yours doesn't sound too bad.

i would be careful. last year round about this time i did a century because the weather finally turned warmer and i hadnt done too much riding on longer distances over winter. i got a hamstring injury behind the knee that was not resolved fully until july. i think part of the reason was because as soon as i felt able to ride without too much pain, i would do it and it didn't get a chance to fully recover. i don't know what your hamstring injury is but if it is like mine i would stay off completelly until it gets better.

i just read your post where you said you don't feel it until you stop. that makes me suspicious that it might be like mine. on the ride where i injured myself, i didn't have any discomfort, no moment of "ouch". the pain developed the next day and then tightened up over several more days. when i started to ride gently, the ride never hurt either but it just made the recovery time longer.

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/spra.../hamstring.htm
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cy...ringstrain.htm
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/hamstring-strain
http://www.medicinenet.com/hamstring_injury/article.htm
http://www.drugs.com/cg/hamstring-injury.html

You might also see a sports medicine doctor.

I'm with Sick and Rummy on this one. I don't take time completely off unless I can't get off the couch. My favorite recovery-from-injury thing is Z1 on my rollers, every day.

Depends on the pain. If its a dull soreness like yours sounds like, then I wouldn't let it stop you (or me) from being outside, I just would try not to get too into it. Which is a big problem for me, I always want to be pumping.

If its sharp or piercing, and you'll know the difference, then something is tweaked/damaged and needs to heal longer. I'd avoid the big hills and try not to spin it up too hard.