Injured while stretching

[Demon Eyes]

The research you cite here is only pertaining to stretching before workouts. It was the old accepted standard that stretching pre-workout was necessary to prevent injury; but recent research, like the study you referenced, has found that a dynamic warm up is all that is necessary to prevent injury and ensure proper cardiovascular response to exercise. In fact, I believe some studies have shown that too much static stretching prior to activity actually decreases force-production capacity.

But static stretching following activity or as part of an independent flexibility training session is still highly encouraged. Currently there are no established guildelines as to how long stretches should be held, as research in that area is somewhat lacking, but the general accepted range is around 30 seconds.


Keeping with the thread topic, if you injured yourself doing a stretch, chances are you might have put it on a bit too quickly or too far. I would avoid activities that aggrevate it, but if you must, thorthe power's post is a pretty standard course of action to follow. If the pain persists, or grows worse, you should definately see a doctor.

Laziness, or pride, or whatever seems to keep people from seeing the doctor about their injuries. To me, this seems like a silly thing to endanger your martial arts career for.

The thing that's keeping me from the doctor is the lack of having health insurance and money. Even for a small check up here in the states, the visit will take a huge chunk out of one's wallet.
Fortunately, the pain seems to be subsiding. Slowly but surely. Also, thanks for the follow up on the research.

[Moonlit Tiger]

The thing that's keeping me from the doctor is the lack of having health insurance and money. Even for a small check up here in the states, the visit will take a huge chunk out of one's wallet.
Fortunately, the pain seems to be subsiding. Slowly but surely. Also, thanks for the follow up on the research.

I didn't even consider the health care costs, to tell you the truth. I think we Canadians have a tendency to be spoiled with health care and take it for granted.

[Demon Eyes]

I don't think it's being spoiled, so much as it is that most Canadians are not aware of the outrageous prices being put on treatments here in America. That, along with the fact that a lot of insurance companies just rob people of their money.

[patfromlogan]

Currently there are no established guildelines as to how long stretches should be held, as research in that area is somewhat lacking, but the general accepted range is around 30 seconds.

My PT (physical torturer) told me that recent research says 6 seconds to hold stretch. It was for "sciatic flossing" where while on your back one lifts a leg as high as you can, then lower it six inches and bend your toes back toward the face. He said I had "hot and irritated" sciatic. It seemed to help lower back injury and loosened up lower limbs.

I like massage for recovery from injuries and recovery from exercise.

[odorblocker]

I know someone who pulled a hamstrings and only after a while realize that it was a sciatic nerve and not a muscle. I would have a orthopedic check it out.

[Demon Eyes]

I highly doubt its the sciatic nerve. On the pain scale of 1-10, it would register a 1.5 at most. Also, I believe the pain would have spread toward the rest of the nerve by now if it was damaged. It's just one small spot, getting smaller as time passes.
Thank you for the suggestion though.