Torn Muscle

[Sundae]

Just a "guess what happened to me" thread, rather than a request for sympathy. And no outward sign of injury now, so no grim pictures either.

Walking home on Thursday night I went to cross the road and realised a car was closer than I thought. I jerked forward in an attempt to walk a little faster when I felt a revolting squelchy pop and my right calf was bitten by a tiger. Staggering to the other side of the road & holding onto a lampost for support, I realised it was some mystery internal injury instead, and I limped the rest of the way home trying not to cry in public.

I came into work Friday & got an appointment with my GP after checking out my symptoms on the internet. It was obviously a muscle problem and the advice was RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, in case you don't use that abbreviation) but to contact a GP if you can't bear weight on it.

I was right of course - muscle damage. My GP referred me to Accident & Emergency at the local hospital because he thought I may also have damaged my achilles tendon, which is more serious. Good news in that it was only my muscle, but bad news in that I missed a Saturday at work (my part-time paid-weekly job) because I had to rest for 48 hours. I spent Sunday & today on crutches so that I could flex the muscle without bearing weight, and I have to go back for physiotherapy.

How did I do this amount of damage? Bad luck according to the hospital. Just have to hope my luck holds out in future, or it's going to play hell with my get fit & lose weight plans!

[Cyclefrance]

You have my sympathy Leicester Lady - a couple of years back, I was innocently rinsing off in the shower and reached over my left shoulder with my right hand to brush away dem bubbles. I felt the tiniest little 'plip' as I did so. Within 15 seconds I couldn't move a muscle without chronic pain all down my back and legs. I literally could not move! Don't know what I pulled, but it took 5 days to clear up. Felt such an idiot - it took me a good 15 minutes to get out of the shower, dry and get some clothes on. Then I didn't know whether to stand up or sit down as both involved more pain than I bargained for, let alone drive the car or even think about turning my head round to look behind. Didn't go to the GP - only because I probably wouldn't have got there though, and anyway I didn't fancy anyone prodding a poking to the words 'and does that hurt?'

Hope you are soon feeling better and hobble-free in your movements!

[Undertoad]

I had a similar thing happen to me the other week, except it happened while I was in bed sleeping. I woke up in searing pain at 4:30 am. It was a night cramp of the lower leg. It stayed painful all day. Christ, I thought, I must be getting old if I can't sleep without injury.

[mrnoodle]

I got back spasms one day that were bad enough to completely immobilize me for several minutes, and make moving exquisitely painful for a few hours after that. To get out of my chair at work I had to roll back against a wall and inch myself up it. It took 30 minutes and I was drenched in sweat by the time I finally managed enough leverage to right myself.

Apparently age 35 is the magical year of mystery injuries.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I woke up in searing pain at 4:30 am. It was a night cramp of the lower leg.

You need more calcium. (I know some people say potassium; but they are usually wrong. A shortage of either can cause severe nighttime leg cramps, and far more people don't get enough calcium than potassium.)

[Undertoad]

Impossible. Nobody gets more calcium than me! I drink milk like it's water. I put half-and-half in every morning coffee and afternoon tea. I have three kinds of cheese and three kinds of shredded cheese in the fridge, and an Irish Cream Whiskey in the cabinet. Last week I had a goat's milk gouda that was outstanding.

[Clodfobble]

Maybe too much phosphorous (found in abundance in processed foods, snacks, and sodas) is preventing you from absorbing a lot of your calcium intake? Most techies drink Mountain Dew like it's water, but then again, most techies don't have an afternoon tea, so maybe that stereotype doesn't apply to you.

[footfootfoot]

Have you tried the five year aged gouda?
talk to me about outstanding then.

holy mcmackeral.

can't find it? I'll hook you up.
let me know.

[BigV]

I once bent over to pick up a paper clip from the carpet. The paperclip wasn't directly in front of me, so there was a little twisting involved. pop. Ow. That hurt. I went drove home from work and had dinner, went to bed. In the morning I was paralyzed with pain. The *one* position I woke up in was the only pain free posture available to me, fully supine. I could not roll over, sit up, coughing was agony. I reached up and dialed my friend's house by touch (no cordless phone). He came over and helped me sit up and move and get to the emergency room. The diagnosis was muscle spasms in my back. It was like a general strike--nobody was working. And it hurt, every movement hurt, even breathing, like hell. I learned then the miracle of modern pharmaceuticals, pain relievers and especially muscle relaxants. God.

Good luck with your recovery. Take your meds and follow your physical therapy regimine.

[Sundae]

I am so pleased I mentioned this now - I don't feel such a freak!

I am beginning to understand some of those comedy statistics I read about x amount of people injuring themselves while getting dressed. Damn the body is a fragile thing!