MountainPowderFiend
03-18-2008, 06:01 AM
Tight hamstring & calf + intermittent knee pain.
My right leg, if it matters, has been bothering me for the past couple of months.
I have never had any problems with my knees before and I have been a fairly active skiing enthusiast for the past twelve or thirteen years.
I am now 22, and a full time college student, but should graduate by the end of this year.
I drive across to Steamboat or Aspen Snowmass, about a 24 hour drive from where I am, as often as I can to ski.
I've managed to make the journey four of the last five winters. Straight through, starting on a Saturday morning, and marathon driving to arrive Sunday, and begin skiing on Monday, skiing 8:00- 4:30 daily, usually Hot tub afterwards. It goes like that until I leave after 7 days.
The reason that I go into this detail is because I wanted to illuminate the fact that I Push myself pretty hard and was undoubtedly ill stretched out. I was cramped into my Jeep Cherokee, which if you are familiar, you know that they are not spacious vehicles. That would be extenuating factor #1, but I think that I should also mention that have had Open capsular shift repaired in my right shoulder to keep my shoulder from dislocating.
The pain is periodic, and is worse when my leg is stiff. It is strange, the pain seems to be in the back of my knee. I have a pretty tight hamstring and calf muscle. There was not too much visual swelling on the knee, no instabilities, no loose knee cap, just a very uncomfortable feeling when I walk/ed. Just a little hitch in my giddy-up really.
I kept on skiing with not too much pain, after the sharp initial onset of the pain, which occurred when I was showing off on some very steep, deep moguls that no one else with me would do. I didn't fall, or twist, but as glided out of the mogul field and around the side of the mountain to meet up with my friends, I nearly doubled over from the pain in my right knee/calf/hamstring. I instantly regretted that I had not taken more time to thoroughly stretch out my legs before hitting the slopes.
I tried to slide my right ski out and bend over to stretch it, with some success to stretch my leg out and relieve the tension and pain in my leg.
I bought a neoprene brace and wore it the remainder of my trip. It seemed to make walking more comfortable, although it wasn't and still isn't totally unbearable.
Extenuating circumstance # 2 is that I went skiing at the Southern Indiana Ice mountain Skiing area that is known as Perfect North Slopes on January 19th... It is what it is, and it is where I learned to ski, and spent most winters growing up.
I was still feeling discomfort while walking but skiing wasn't so bad. That is, until I hit a jump in the terrain park way too fast, overshot the landing, and flat bottomed very hard about 5 feet past the end of the landing on some rather compact groomed snow. Ouch. I managed to bruise my right calf muscle with the back of my ski boot.
Unfortunately for me that really didn't help my tight leg that now felt as though my calf and my hamstring were playing tug-of-war through the back of my knee.
I have been going easy on it ever since then, and I have been stretching some here and there because my legs sometimes feel tight. I walk quite a bit around campus, usually at a pretty brisk pace, and I went an hour on my fiance's elliptical last week without too much discomfort.
I Stretched my legs today for around a half an hour at the gym, and walked a few laps feeling pretty good, but when I began jogging, it began to get painful to bend my right leg, and the same discomfort came back. I decided to peddle on the exercise bike instead. It was a little uncomfortable, but I pushed through it.
Should I work it or rest it?
If so, I can't really avoid the walking I do for school.
Should I have it checked out?
Sometimes I get the impression that some specialist are eager to cut you open.
Cheers, Thanks ahead for all of your responses.
(Sorry it was so lengthy)
My right leg, if it matters, has been bothering me for the past couple of months.
I have never had any problems with my knees before and I have been a fairly active skiing enthusiast for the past twelve or thirteen years.
I am now 22, and a full time college student, but should graduate by the end of this year.
I drive across to Steamboat or Aspen Snowmass, about a 24 hour drive from where I am, as often as I can to ski.
I've managed to make the journey four of the last five winters. Straight through, starting on a Saturday morning, and marathon driving to arrive Sunday, and begin skiing on Monday, skiing 8:00- 4:30 daily, usually Hot tub afterwards. It goes like that until I leave after 7 days.
The reason that I go into this detail is because I wanted to illuminate the fact that I Push myself pretty hard and was undoubtedly ill stretched out. I was cramped into my Jeep Cherokee, which if you are familiar, you know that they are not spacious vehicles. That would be extenuating factor #1, but I think that I should also mention that have had Open capsular shift repaired in my right shoulder to keep my shoulder from dislocating.
The pain is periodic, and is worse when my leg is stiff. It is strange, the pain seems to be in the back of my knee. I have a pretty tight hamstring and calf muscle. There was not too much visual swelling on the knee, no instabilities, no loose knee cap, just a very uncomfortable feeling when I walk/ed. Just a little hitch in my giddy-up really.
I kept on skiing with not too much pain, after the sharp initial onset of the pain, which occurred when I was showing off on some very steep, deep moguls that no one else with me would do. I didn't fall, or twist, but as glided out of the mogul field and around the side of the mountain to meet up with my friends, I nearly doubled over from the pain in my right knee/calf/hamstring. I instantly regretted that I had not taken more time to thoroughly stretch out my legs before hitting the slopes.
I tried to slide my right ski out and bend over to stretch it, with some success to stretch my leg out and relieve the tension and pain in my leg.
I bought a neoprene brace and wore it the remainder of my trip. It seemed to make walking more comfortable, although it wasn't and still isn't totally unbearable.
Extenuating circumstance # 2 is that I went skiing at the Southern Indiana Ice mountain Skiing area that is known as Perfect North Slopes on January 19th... It is what it is, and it is where I learned to ski, and spent most winters growing up.
I was still feeling discomfort while walking but skiing wasn't so bad. That is, until I hit a jump in the terrain park way too fast, overshot the landing, and flat bottomed very hard about 5 feet past the end of the landing on some rather compact groomed snow. Ouch. I managed to bruise my right calf muscle with the back of my ski boot.
Unfortunately for me that really didn't help my tight leg that now felt as though my calf and my hamstring were playing tug-of-war through the back of my knee.
I have been going easy on it ever since then, and I have been stretching some here and there because my legs sometimes feel tight. I walk quite a bit around campus, usually at a pretty brisk pace, and I went an hour on my fiance's elliptical last week without too much discomfort.
I Stretched my legs today for around a half an hour at the gym, and walked a few laps feeling pretty good, but when I began jogging, it began to get painful to bend my right leg, and the same discomfort came back. I decided to peddle on the exercise bike instead. It was a little uncomfortable, but I pushed through it.
Should I work it or rest it?
If so, I can't really avoid the walking I do for school.
Should I have it checked out?
Sometimes I get the impression that some specialist are eager to cut you open.
Cheers, Thanks ahead for all of your responses.
(Sorry it was so lengthy)