Muscle Soreness

[Gazza2]

I am now 3.5 months out and everything is going well. I have stepped up my workouts to regain some physical fitness, and I am working on the last few % of range of motion and muscle strength between left and right legs.  What I am noticing though is that I am still getting some muscle soreness in the evening (I am still icing it some evenings).  I get soreness on the outside of the hip (Top of IT band) and sometimes deep in the glute muscle.  It is typical muscle soreness and I am not really concerned I know it is in part related to the workouts I am doing and if I stop it would likely go away.  I am getting massages once a fortnight to help reduce scar tissue which I think is helping, I want to use the roller but am put off by the soreness and fear of making it worse.

My question for the experienced hippys here -  at what point did your muscle soreness disappear?  (Such that you did not think about it after exercise?)  And did it go overnight, or slowly fade over weeks/months?

[hernanu]

Depends on the intensity of the workout and whether you're doing something new. When I went back into soccer, I got new ouchies.

The same when I started kicking the heavy bag with abandon. Those were about 15 months along, so you could run into it at different times. I ran into it many times as I worked weights, running, etc. back into my routine.

The roller will hurt at first, but after your see a few uses, it should help to tame the IT band area. It helped me.

[kate71]

what is this famous roller? I keep seeing everyone mention it but dont know what it is?! :)

[packman]

here you go Kate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJLxruO3su0

you can pick one up at Wal Mart or a sports fitness store
For me, I have also been a little timid o use it but will be ramping up shortly

[Lauren Lee]

Thanks for that link. At what point should you start using the roller?

[hernanu]

HI Lauren Lee, I started on it at about three to four months, when the incision could take being rolled and when I could support my hips strongly enough with my arms.

There are many exercises you can do with it to release different muscle areas, I found doing my lower back and the IT band were the best. I also used it for my upper back and thighs, but the IT band benefited the most.

[kate71]

wow! that looks scary  :o I think i will leave it a few more weeks before I do that  ;)

but I can imagine that it would be amazing when you use that later on. I always used to use a tennis ball leaning against the wall on my hip muscles - but that would be so much better to focus on a wider area in one go.

thanks!

[chuckm]

Foam roller: I began using it as soon as I could which was about 4 weeks. I started out very gently over the scar where it was directly over the bone (IT band area) because too much pressure and you felt a burning or stinging type pain, so you have to hold yourself up as you roll across the foam. But the top of my scar is right on the soft gluts and I could roll there with full pressure right away. My PT taught me to cross my OP leg over the other leg to put my glut on stretch and then roll over all that muscle. That required lots of arm strength but the payoff is great. Then the most progress I found was to just roll slowly right at the top of the scar where the surgeon reattached the short rotator muscles. It feels like you are rubbing a deep bruise. Then you just hold the position when the roller is right on a sore spot and you can actually feel the muscle soften and relax. Then roll again. After weeks you may find yourself rolling with full pressure right on the scar and on all leg muscles. Roll the front, back, sides, knees. Use the edge roller to roll into the groin (be careful there).

There is no doubt in my mind that my consistent use of the roller to loosen and massage the muscles was key in my speedy recovery and elimination of all those nagging pains.

Feeling a slight twinge right in the butt or hip area? - three minutes rolling you will be surprised.

Chuckm

[Gazza2]

Thank you hernanu, chuckm.  I plucked up courage and managed to look at the roller as not a torture implement and have been rolling the legs for a few minutes daily since you posted.  It has helped reduce the muscle soreness considerably.

[hernanu]

Good stuff, Gazza - keep using it and it will help the IT band through its own recuperation.