Is There A Doctor On The Mouse?

[pagetheoracle]

I recently pulled a muscle in my groin and noticed that if I lean forward it causes discomfort, whereas if I stand upright it has no effect.  Why is this?

 

Also would pelvic floor exercises help the situation and stop it recurring or would it inflame the injury even more (I originally injured myself this way ten years ago, while stumbling over a rolled up carpet, when lifting a very heavy table.  I'm now 63)?

[Buffy]

We've evolved to be upright, so bending over is going to put pressure on a bunch of muscles that are positioned to contract and get us back there. So no, that should not be surprising or a problem to be concerned about.

 

Despite the popular aphorism "no pain, no gain" when it comes to damaged muscles, that pain is telling you "lay off that muscle for a while so it can heal!" A "pull" is stretching/tearing of muscle tissue, and it needs time to repair: stretching or exercising it will delay the healing process and can produce even more damage because the tissue is already weak. That being said, motion up to the point where it hurts is just fine and you want to test that and keep seeing what your range of comfortable motion is, which should expand over time if it is healing properly.

 

Oh and take aspirin or other anti-inflammatory pain medicine (ibuprofen but NOT acetaminophen).

 

Ice helps too, but that can be a bit uh, problematic in the groin area. Ice immediately after any injury is important reduce swelling as well as it's anti-inflammatory properties. Hot baths after the ice will improve circulation to the area and speed up the healing process.

 

I ran track in high school so I'm unfortunately too familiar with these particular types of injuries.

 

The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. These may involve breaking bad habits, or acquiring some new and better ones, :phones:

Buffy

[pagetheoracle]

Many thanks Buffy, that is what I thought. 

 

Have been taking Aspirin but not Ibuprofen as it seems to have no effect on me.

 

Fascinating about why it should hurt though.  I've noticed that the injured area included muscles I didn't even think were related to the injury, so it has been interesting noticing the movement from area to area as the situation improved but it still doesn't stop me being a pain in the butt to some people!

 

By the way, I cut the tip off of one of my fingers, with the new potato peeler, a fortnight before that (drifting attention in both cases that probably cost me dear).

 

Never was any good at sport.  Like hiking but couldn't run to save my life (Shattered after hundred yard dash and last in cross-country race, always:  May relate to years of migraines and the 'possibility' of a hole in the heart as a cause).  Good at darts and archery though!

Edited October 11, 2014 by pagetheoracle