IVS Forum - lower hamstring/upper calf pain

ollie

IVS Ultra Marathoner

Posts: 906

lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Mar 17^th, 2010, 2:45pm

I've been MIA for a while due to an injury; the pain seems to "float" from behind my knee (lower hamstring) to the upper part of my calf. Lately it has been waking me up at night.

I've cut out the elliptical and the running for about a month and while the day time pain has all but gone away completely, I still get woken up at night by the pain.

So my questions:

1. Has anyone else had something similar?

2. As far as doctors: call my regular doctor first (mine is a runner) or go with the orthopedic doctor right away?

The good news is that I am enjoying swimming.

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The Big Willi Style

IVS Ultra Marathoner

Hawwww haw haw haw!

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Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Reply #1 - Mar 20^th, 2010, 10:02am

Ugh, hamstrings. Everyone, picture the voice of Yosemite Sam when I say this one: "Aaawwww I hate hamstrings!"

Ollie, I am nursing a hammy strain right now. Aggravated it last Friday, took last weekend off, ran 10 miles on Monday. That was a mistake. It didn't get worse, but it didn't get better. If I do run, it will be probably Sunday. It has just been a routine of icing, LIGHT STRETCHING, NSAIDs, and golf.

Just saw two guys jog past the house, Tapp? Diablo? Whisker? Nah, neither one of those is there cadence. You know you're a runner when...

I'm actually hitting the ball pretty decent for mid-March. I'm just fortunate to have another outdoor hobby I enjoy and can do while the healing takes place.

I'm really starting to think the resting and the icing is the only way to go. You running yoga I bet helps as well.

The Big Willi Style admits he will be watching Tiger at the Masters. I don't like the guy much, but I still love the golfer if that makes sense.

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Nothin' worth having comes without some kind of fight...You gotta kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight!

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el dirtrunner IVS Ultra Marathoner mmm donuts Posts: 597 Gender:	Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain Reply #2 - Mar 20^th, 2010, 10:26am lay on your stomach, get the stick and have another person roll it on the back of the hamstring hard but slow. keep it up for 15 mins. it hurts but the next day you feel great. give it a try.
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The Big Willi Style

IVS Ultra Marathoner

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Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Reply #3 - Mar 21^st, 2010, 3:04am

"lay on your stomach, get the stick and have another person roll it on the back of the hamstring hard but slow. keep it up for 15 mins. it hurts but the next day you feel great. give it a try. "

Yeah, I tried that once...

In prison. Grin

I'm sorry dirtrunner, but that was toooooooo easy! Besides, I had to beat Eckberg to the punch on this one...

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Nothin' worth having comes without some kind of fight...You gotta kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight!

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el dirtrunner IVS Ultra Marathoner mmm donuts Posts: 597 Gender:	Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain Reply #4 - Mar 21^st, 2010, 10:58am
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ollie

IVS Ultra Marathoner

Posts: 906

Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Reply #5 - Mar 27^th, 2010, 9:53pm

Thanks for the feedback guys. I finally broke down and saw the doctor; she said that I had a "rope" running down my mid calf; so it is Doppler tests (to test for clots), X-rays and physical therapy.

So for right now, it is swimming and lifting.

Maybe "see" you on the roads/trails in the fall, though I'll be at McNaughton assisting at the start finish and at the Totem Pole aid station.

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If you feel good during an ultra, don't worry. You'll get over it.

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runninglate

IVS Marathoner

There is no tired.

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Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Reply #6 - Mar 29^th, 2010, 7:51pm

Hopefully not a blood clot! I had a deep vascular thrombus in my lower leg after a trauma (horse fell on me). Felt exactly like what you describe -- ropy pain running down the back of my knee / calf. Dang thing hurt more than the crushed pelvis. The ultrasound was excruciatingly painful, too, because the technician pressed down right on the painful area.
Hopefully you have had a negative ultrasound by now, but until you are cleared, DO NOT massage the area / use stick / etc. I was having my husband massage the area 'cause I thought it was muscle trauma, and the MD told me that massage could have easily broken a piece of the clot off and sent it to my lungs, which is often fatal.

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The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other...but to be with each other.
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ollie IVS Ultra Marathoner Posts: 906	Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain Reply #7 - Apr 5^th, 2010, 5:23am Thanks. I am getting a Doppler tomorrow. ollie
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ollie

IVS Ultra Marathoner

Posts: 906

Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Reply #8 - Apr 9^th, 2010, 3:15pm

Update: the Doppler ultrasound showed no clots. But I do have a small cyst behind the knee that fills up when I irritate the knee joint. That is what is causing the "behind the knee"/upper calf pain.

So:

1. Physical Therapy: ultrasound/electrical stimulation
2. NASIDS
3. Rest. Sad

4. I can swim, but only with a pull-buoy and I have to come to the wall, turn around and start from a "still position" (no pushing off or flip turns). The latter is an important thing to remember; every 1000 yards means 40 pushes off of the wall and that can inflame an irritated knee.

I can also lift weights. Of course, I make it a point to sneak into the weight room when the serious lifters aren't there. Grin

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If you feel good during an ultra, don't worry. You'll get over it.

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el dirtrunner IVS Ultra Marathoner mmm donuts Posts: 597 Gender:	Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain Reply #9 - Apr 9^th, 2010, 4:58pm glad its not serious ollie, youll be back out there in no time
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ollie

IVS Ultra Marathoner

Posts: 906

Re: lower hamstring/upper calf pain
Reply #10 - May 9^th, 2010, 7:03am

Update on the injury with some observations:

1. My injury (whatever it is) has gotten better; the nighttime pain is all but gone IF I avoid pushing off of the wall when I swim AND avoid doing kick sets, especially with fins!

2. I can't run as yet but I can walk, so long as I keep my knees bent (illegal for judged race-walking races 50K and under but ok for long judged ultra walks)

3. I see a orthopedic guy next week.

4. The swimming without a wall push off and without having kick sets has put more strain on my shoulder; I have to do fewer yards and use a pull buoy from time to time.

5. I've restarted my wight lifting; my old rotator cuff injury doesn't like bench pressing but pull ups, incline pressing, military presses with dumbbells and rows are fine.

6. Though I was about 2 minutes slower than my normal time, it was sure fun to walk a race again.

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If you feel good during an ultra, don't worry. You'll get over it.

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