Sore rearend.

October 9, 2009 4:54 AM

Gluteus maximus filter: I know that YANAD, but I think I may have torn or sprained something and I have some important races coming up.

I was cleaning a high bookshelf yesterday when BOOM I fell down. I'm not sure if I fell on my butt or if I pulled it by the sudden movement, but regardless, right in the middle of my right butt cheek it is OUCHY. It feels like someone sewed a rock in the middle of it. It's not bruised but it hurts to sit or sleep on it. I took some Ibuprofen and put a Capsicum patch on it last night. Normally I wouldn't be worried and would just give it time, but I have a half marathon on Sunday and a full marathon next week. Is this a doctor-worthy injury? Should I just alternate between ice and heat? Ack!

posted by cachondeo45 to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

IANAD.

With what little you've given, it sounds like you simply busted your ass. More technically speaking, it's probably a deep bruise, that's not showing on the surface.

Try running on it a little. See if you can take the pain. If you feel anything really bad (really sharp shooting pains, tingling/numbness, clicking, or anything else that's "weird"), then it's off to the doctor with you.

If you were sprinting, I'd say sit it out. But, I think that you're more likely to be able to do a distance race on it.

Good luck!
posted by Citrus at 5:40 AM on October 9, 2009

I agree with the above - deep ass bruise.

I'm assuming you're not racing the half marathon this weekend at full effort since you're probably tapering for your marathon. Is that correct?

If so, maybe just go out and run the half a little more conservatively than you were already planning on. Give it a 2 mile run tomorrow and see how you feel. If it's in rough shape, consider skipping your half in order to be more rested/healed for the full.
posted by smalls at 6:33 AM on October 9, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks for this advice. I am tapering, smalls, and I was just using it as a (pretty, fall colors-filled) chill training run. Good call, both of you. I was just a little panicky. Thanks!
posted by cachondeo45 at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2009

Deep bruise or deep tear in the muscles. You've got a couple layers of muscle there, so it's hard to know. Is the injured side swollen? Mr. 26.2 had a deep rip in his calf this spring. No bruising for the first few days, but very swollen. After that, every time he worked out tons of blood would get pushed out of the muscle and his entire calf would be dark purple. Really funky injury.

Which race is more important? I can put up with anything for a half marathon; I ran the Long Beach Half on the ankle I sprained running the Carlsbad Half two weeks earlier. No problem for the half, but a full would have been out of my reach. Any chance you could drop down to the half in two weeks?

Give it a light run - maybe a mile at your race pace. You'll know if it's bad enough to see the doctor.
posted by 26.2 at 8:13 AM on October 9, 2009

Here's the only way to stretch it that I know of. Do the leg stretch from pigeon pose. You don't have to flex up the back calf (leave it flat on the ground, and you don't have to do the backbend. In fact, better to do a forward bend, insofar as you're able.

Go gently, comfortably and partially into the pose, and just keep pushing the back leg gently back every twenty secs or so. Try to do both sides equally.

When done, stretch in child's pose then repeat the cycle.

This is also good for the recovery phase of torn hamstrings.
posted by jimmyjimjim at 9:02 AM on October 9, 2009

Trigger points in the piriformis muscle. Treat with a hard ball against the wall. When it's under control - this stretch
posted by Not Supplied at 12:37 PM on October 9, 2009

Response by poster: Excellent advice, all. It's hard to tell if it's swollen since it's my bum, but it is sore. It is feeling much better now than this morning, but it is still tender. 26.2, I suspect that I could do 13.1 but I'd really rather do the full next week; I hate to see those long runs and the solid training go to waste and the full is definitely more important. Although if it's a substantial injury, I certainly won't risk it.

How does a tear heal and how long does it take? I'll try a mile or two in the morning and see if that helps.

Thanks again.
posted by cachondeo45 at 4:51 PM on October 9, 2009

The torn calf took awhile to heal - about 6-8 weeks before he was back at full strength. It might have taken less time if he'd have given it more rest, but he was training for a century ride....and well, you know how it is. It stopped bruising after a workout in about two weeks.

Yes, it would be a huge bummer to miss a full marathon after training for it. There are lots of great fall races. If you miss the one in two weeks, maybe you can find a back up marathon that's a few weeks away.

Hopefully, it's just a butt bruise and it'll feel better after you work it out doing the half. :)
posted by 26.2 at 7:58 AM on October 10, 2009