Working through an injury?

[JMD]

I have recently begun getting myself back in shape, and have made some hard-fought improvements in my wind and muscle tone (and weight, though to a lesser degree). But yesterday I pulled a muscle in my groin by hyper-stretching the leg when I spun out in the sand. I rested two hours, then continued to ride the whole day, and it's a bit sore today.

My question is, should I just rest until the thing stops hurting, and risk losing my hard-won conditioning, or do I work through it? I don't think that I actually tore anything; it doesn't hurt that badly. I think it's just a pulled muscle or ligament. What's the right thing to do?

 

[michigan]

i think you need to figure out whether you're HURT or INJURED. if you're hurt, keep going. if you're injured, take a break or go to the doc.

 

[JMD]

I guess I was just hurt, not injured. I went ahead and did a mild aerobic workout, and stretched the leg real well, It felt better, though it's still sore.

 

[bbbom]

Ice, Ice, Ice - for 10 minutes or so as often as you can for the first 48 hours. Once the swelling/inflammation is gone try heat then ice as often as you can.

As long as you aren't in pain, use it. If it is painful then you need to stop. Stretching is good but don't over do it on the sore muscles.

At least that is what has usually worked for me. :)

 

[michigan]

"...continued to ride the whole day, and it's a bit sore today."

i have the same condition when i ride, but i'm a bit sore from head to toe, not just in the grion area.

 

[JMD]

Yeah, Michigan, I'm hip. An old crop-duster friend of my father's used to have a lot of funny little sayings, and one of them pretty well describes me after a day's riding: "It hurts all over more than anyplace else."