lower leg/shin possible injury

[casey]

Comrades,
I have had such great responses before from posting that I am looking for help again.

While on vacation (well, honeymoon) I took what I thought would be a step down while carrying a heavy weight (well, my wife. :lol: not too heavy at all actually...) on my right arm. The step ended up being pretty far and I basically jumped down onto my left leg. I felt fine at the time. But about 20 minutes later I noticed a sharp (but not too painful) pain right in the middle of my shin on the front. I thought maybe a bug was biting me or something.

Eventually my whole lower leg started to get pains but not all at once. I forgot about it the next day actually, and only noticed it the day after when it returned. It was slightly swollen but it's not any more. I never saw a bruise or anything on any part of my leg.

I did some clubbell work when we got back from the honeymoon Sunday. Mostly cleans to order and stuff with not much leg action but a lot of hip snap. My leg felt great after that and I remember walking up the stairs with no pain at all. Then yesterday I did one of Scrapper's bodyweight workouts. Lots of lunges and free squats. Once again my leg felt great afterwards and most of today. I thought maybe I was cured. But it hurts again and seems to be aggravated by doing ROM work. Specifically figure eights and infinities really bothered me. There was a whole lot of popping just below the knee. Now the pain in my shin is back too. As I said before, it doesn't hurt a lot. It never has. But it's noticable. And I don't understand why it is so poppy.

I am in a dance troupe and we are supposed to perform Saturday. It's generally pretty hard on the legs, but exercise has helped me so far. So I don't know how to proceed.

I'm sure someone has some suggestions as to what this might be. And ROM work hurts, but is it always good to do? I am thinking of Sonnon's article in the CST mag about Lumbar health this month. Is the knee/leg different enough from the spine that maybe ROM work will make it worse?

Thanks in advance,

Casey Reilly

[Scott Sonnon]

Casey, only a phys. therapist or sports med doc could tell you for certain.

The impact may have created a tension chain from the load bearing arm to the shock absorbing leg (Back Force Transmission). The weakest link became the source of pain/trauma. Purely a guess from what you've written.

Re-read Lumbarred from Pain-Free Mobility (http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/23/sonnon.html).
Read Recovery Training (http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2002).

Mobilize your left foot (the CST Foot Curl and Foot Roll), and your left ankle and knee (CST's Multi-Planar Mobility), and your hips.

Then go after your right wrist, elbow and shoulder (CST's Multi-Planar Mobility), ending with thoracic mobility.

5-10 repetitions both directions per day. You should be fine by SAT.
Suspend any resistance training until after SAT.
Report back with your progress then and let us know how you're doing.

[casey]

Coach,
Thanks as always for the quick reply. Honestly, I was frustrated when I wrote the post because the leg infinities I had just completed seemed to irritate my leg rather than help it. But after I read your reply I went back and slowly went through all the ROMs, with special attention to the feet (which I usually don't do), plus some basic FCBD, and my leg felt like new. I mean almost 100%! :D

I had a geat practice and even left most of the other dancers behind. I am sure I will be fine by Saturday. My only problem was with this "suspend any resistance training until after SAT" comment.

Awwwww Coach! Not even CST?! I'll stick to the 15s! Pleeeease?!?? I promise I am immune to overtraining. :wink:

CPR

[Scott Sonnon]

Casey, congratulations on your recovery. I'm glad I could help.

No resistance training. That's an order. (Or start handing out those Overtraining Immunity Shots to the rest of us. *rolls up sleeve*)

CST is more than resistance training, amigo. The exercises you're performing to accelerate your recovery are part and parcel to CST. You're doing CST the CORRECT way, by not adding resistance during your ACTIVE recovery period.