Quote:
Originally posted by Lady Sedai:
Well, I wish you'd posted something sooner because I've some advice that may help. I used to work for a physical rehab therapist and learned much about sports injuries, etc.
Better when the injury is fresh, but as I've sprained AND a couple of times torn the ligament in my ankle (a couple of the worst times when I was playing...you got it  ...softball [img]tongue.gif[/img] ), I can tell you one thing that CAN and may still help you is to take a bath with Epsom salts.
These are cheap and can be found in grocery as well as drug stores.
Get the bath water as hot as you can stand it (don't want to burn yourself) and add the Epsom salts. Relax in the water until it gets to room temperature.
The way to go is moist heat most times with things like this.
Now if it was the first day or so, I'd say alternate that with ice packs. You can still do that, but I doubt you've any residual swelling anymore if you can walk without screaming. So now I'd just suggest using one of the creams that Arledrian mentioned. IcyHot is the BEST for this.
Take your bath and get that muscle relaxed, then wait about 20 minutes and rub in some of the cream and let it go to work.
Also, if you aren't already...consider firmly, but not tightly, wrapping the leg with an Ace bandage if you will be walking much.
Lastly, don't "baby" it too much for *too* long. Make sure you gently stretch as far as is comfortable after a couple of weeks of rest or the muscle will just knot up on you.
You have to find a nice balance between rest and rehab for the muscle. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Hope that helps. [img]smile.gif[/img]
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This is awesome.
I used to pull the muscle when I was in primary school. Would you believe, I'd pull it highjumping, and then run (and win) 100m sprints, in absolute agony, not knowing what was wrong. When I finally got to highschool, I found it a wierd sensation to run without pain. Can you believe it?? In my final year, I had to choose between going to the State of NSW meet in the 400m and longjump, and doing the school play/musical. No prises for guessing which life choice I made.
Consequently, I haven't pulled it since. It never hurt this bad though. This was agony. Pure agony. I managed to get to the base, and then slid down screaming.
I do have icey hot that someone lent me. I've been using that. Good to know that's a good thing.
I had an older woman help me on the field. She gave me some stretches at the time, once I was able, to see what damage was done. She put ice on it then, so I did have ice on it most of that saturday.
More than anything the advice here gives me piece of mind. I can't tell you the anxiety I have living here without health insurance. It's something I really need to sort out. It's so, so difficult changing countries, where simply surviving, simple everyday things you take for granted are really different. Tax, medicines, car ownership, licenses, immigration... it's all really tough, when you're self employed, starting from zero, as an artist.
Thankfully work is picking up again. I did have insurance through SAG, but it lapsed. Then work dried up for the summer. Summer sucks.
Should be holidaying, but no money means no ability to relax.
But I'm getting married in October. My fiancee is on me about my health. She's intending to see me live longer than my musician lifestyle would otherwise see me live. [img]smile.gif[/img] She's a simply amazing woman. Can't believe it. [img]smile.gif[/img] That will "earth" me into America more. Although get this. She's dual citizen. American/European Union. So, we'll have the trifecta. European, Australian and American right of abode. Wild!