# Best way to recover from a quad strain?



## Erotomaniac

I strained both quads on Saturday a few minutes after starting my ride, I headed home and I havent been able to ride since, im taking it easy and still am not even able to walk, stand for any length of time without quad soreness. 

What should I do to try and recover from this faster? Light exercise? Stretching? Hot or Cold treatment? Any over the counter creams or anything recommended?


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## SilasCL

Erotomaniac said:


> I strained both quads on Saturday a few minutes after starting my ride, I headed home and I havent been able to ride since, im taking it easy and still am not even able to walk, stand for any length of time without quad soreness.
> 
> What should I do to try and recover from this faster? Light exercise? Stretching? Hot or Cold treatment? Any over the counter creams or anything recommended?


This sounds pretty serious. I would do a cold compress and elevate your leg. Sounds like a good excuse to sit in a recliner and watch some baseball...

After a few days get back on the bike for some easy rides, follow your rides by stretching.

I remember you posting saying this was from a cramp. Have you done anything to remedy that problem? It could be as basic as putting some salt and salt substitute on your dinner tonight and eating a banana for a snack.

Silas

PS Here's a link with more info http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5426-5.asp


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## Erotomaniac

Its gone on since Saturday so its probably not a cramp and I eat healthy. Im sure its a muscle strain, its getting better by the day and the soreness will occur now for 5 mins or so every few hours if im standing, walking, driving. It goes away when I sit down and put my feet up for a few minutes. My quads feel the worst in the morning, especially during the drive to work. Ill try a few minutes on the stationary bike and see how I feel. Ive also been doing some light stretches.

Its been slowly getting better, but I want to be able to ride asap before the snow falls.


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## physasst

SilasCL said:


> This sounds pretty serious. I would do a cold compress and elevate your leg. Sounds like a good excuse to sit in a recliner and watch some baseball...
> 
> After a few days get back on the bike for some easy rides, follow your rides by stretching.
> 
> I remember you posting saying this was from a cramp. Have you done anything to remedy that problem? It could be as basic as putting some salt and salt substitute on your dinner tonight and eating a banana for a snack.
> 
> Silas
> 
> PS Here's a link with more info http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5426-5.asp


 I agree, I see this sort of thing in our sport's clinic frequently. What you need to assess for certain is whether you sustained a quads strain, or possibly a tear, which is very unlikely to occur bilaterally. If it is a strain I would recommend a week of rest, ice, and elevation...after the intial swelling goes down you can use EITHER ice or heat, whichever is more comfortable. There has never been a credible study showing that either one contributes anything to healing with the exception of swelling reduction with the use of ice. I also think that you should do gentle passive flexion/extension stretching of your knees during the first week to help prevent stiffness...this should be done without weightbearing and should be done very gently..any pain-beyond mild soreness, and you should stop. After the first week, I would plan on about 2-3 weeks of gentle resummation of riding..ratchet it up slowly..mostly flats, low gear, gentle riding. Increase this slowly. After 4 weeks, plan on two more weeks of more aggressive riding, but nothing close to 100%..think about 75% output..after 6 weeks you could resume everything again. Take it slowly and everything will recover fine, push it, and it could take months..Hope this is helpful..Again, this is assuming you have only a strain..without examining you I would not be able to tell you for sure.


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## physasst

Erotomaniac said:


> Its gone on since Saturday so its probably not a cramp and I eat healthy. Im sure its a muscle strain, its getting better by the day and the soreness will occur now for 5 mins or so every few hours if im standing, walking, driving. It goes away when I sit down and put my feet up for a few minutes. My quads feel the worst in the morning, especially during the drive to work. Ill try a few minutes on the stationary bike and see how I feel. Ive also been doing some light stretches.
> 
> Its been slowly getting better, but I want to be able to ride asap before the snow falls.


If it's already getting better, than it is most likely a low grade strain,,if this is the case, you may abbreviate the outlined plan I suggested by a couple of weeks and plan on resummation of full activities in 4 weeks.


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## Erotomaniac

Well there was never any swelling, nor discolouration of both quads.... ill try some ice packs for a couple days with some light stretching and hopefully ill be riding before it gets much colder


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## Pockets

*You forgot one!??*



physasst said:


> If it is a strain I would recommend a week of rest, ice, and elevation...


......Compress

RICE = Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate

Works for me


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## Schneiderguy

What did you do to get a quad strain in both legs? Were you mashing big gears in relatively cold weather without a warm up? the quads will heal if you follow the advice posted, but you don't want to repeat what caused the injury.


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## physasst

Pockets said:


> ......Compress
> 
> RICE = Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate
> 
> Works for me



Compression also works, but usually only if there is marked swelling, otherwise it does little but provide some comfort...it actually does little too encourage healing..


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## Erotomaniac

Well last time I rode any signifigant amount was last Wednesday. I didnt ride thurs fri and left the house for a ride on Saturday, I didnt start to hard and I stretched but 5km or so after starting I could hardly turn the pedals all of a sudden. I stopped and rested 10 minutes but it didnt go away. I think I should have gave in and called a cab to take me home but I tried to be a hero and laboured my in pain back home which probably made it alot worse. The night before it happened by left quad siezed in the middle of the night and was extremely painful but felt fine in the morning....

As I said there was never any discolouration or swelling nothing like that. Its starting to get better so i can at least function properly at work and not have to sit down every 20 mins. I will do some more Ice treatment and elevate the areas while I watch the hockey game tonight. And can start to flex my quads now without pain so there healing day by day. Thanks for all the advice so far everybody.


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## Erotomaniac

Well my quads have healed, I went for a test spin on the road today and a minute in my right hamstring siezed so I iced and elevated the area tonight. How can this happen again, without even pedaling with any sort of effort. I was going at a grannys pace and felt the pain occur and had to go back home shortly after. This is odd, I hadnt any hamstring pain ever before today. Im at odds


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## SilasCL

Erotomaniac said:


> Well my quads have healed, I went for a test spin on the road today and a minute in my right hamstring siezed so I iced and elevated the area tonight. How can this happen again, without even pedaling with any sort of effort. I was going at a grannys pace and felt the pain occur and had to go back home shortly after. This is odd, I hadnt any hamstring pain ever before today. Im at odds


I'm no doctor, but this sounds like more than simple strain. I would make an appointment with your physician to see if he can help you to solve this problem.

My first thought is that this is an ongoing cramping issue, and you should do some serious hydration and electrolyte supplementing.

Silas


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## Erotomaniac

Well I went for a 10 minute high tempo spin on the trainer and felt fine, a little bit of soreness on a area of my left quad but the right hamstring felt good. 

What are the most ideal sources of electrolytes?


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## physasst

Erotomaniac said:


> Well I went for a 10 minute high tempo spin on the trainer and felt fine, a little bit of soreness on a area of my left quad but the right hamstring felt good.
> 
> What are the most ideal sources of electrolytes?


Most of your needed elecrolytes will be supplied within your diet. If you are routinely exercising for periods of greater than two hours, there is some evidence that supplementation with an electrolyte balancing fluid such as gatorade will help. If these cramping symptoms continue, you should see your physician to ensure that there is not as underlying metabolic cause, such as thyroid, diabetes, or a myriad of other disorders. Understanding electrolytes can be a little complex, and if you are interested I would suggest reading up on it. They can be a common cause of cramps, but so can many other things..so if it continues, see your doctor.


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