Fastest/Best way to heal muscle injuries

[curlyface]

I train Muay Thai and am constantly getting muscle injuries. I try to stretch beforehand, try to do it with proper technique (have been training 2 years), but am constantly getting muscle injuries. In the beginning when I started and was completely out of shape, I never once got injured. Now I am in shape, my diet is great, I sleep 8 hours a night but am constantly getting injured. I currently have a muscle injury behind my collar bone that hurts every time I put my elbow behind my back so I can't punch or hold pads, an ankle injury on my right side as well that keeps me from kicking too hard. I am taking a week off currently but this is some bullshit. I am 28 years old and in the best shape of my life but in the past 5 months am constantly injured.

Our workouts are 2 hours long and very intense so I figure it's because my body is broken down and tired and I keep pushing it that I keep getting injured but it doesn't seem like others are. What are the best strategies for things to do:
1. prior to getting injured to prevent injury
2. after getting injured to improve recovery

Thanks for any help.. just wanna get back to training

 

[Sano]

That's a tough one. As someone who has just turned 29 I can attest to getting injuries more often. That's age for you. It also could be that you're able to sustain harder workouts for longer and thus getting your body more beat up.

There's really no magic formula, it all depends on the injury type. If we're talking about sprains or 'itisis, sometimes low impact exercise, knowing when to lay off certain movements, slow and controlled strength training and improving mechanics and ROM can help.

Generally I'd say, before injury:

Implement some kind of strength training, slow and controlled with focus on form.
Gradually increase workload over time and don't chase anything, both in your sport and with your GPP work (many injuries happen due to overuse and overload).
Keep your body mobile with whatever full body mobility exercises that makes you feel good and works for you.
Always warm up properly before training.
Know when to give it a rest.


After injury:
Active recovery work and low impact exercise.
Gradually increase workload.

Anything else would be more injury specific towards the type of injury.

Obviously diet, sleep and stress are important, but it seems you have that under wraps.

 

[curlyface]

That's a tough one. As someone who has just turned 29 I can attest to getting injuries more often. That's age for you. It also could be that you're able to sustain harder workouts for longer and thus getting your body more beat up.

There's really no magic formula, it all depends on the injury type. If we're talking about sprains or 'itisis, sometimes low impact exercise, knowing when to lay off certain movements, slow and controlled strength training and improving mechanics and ROM can help.

Generally I'd say, before injury:

Implement some kind of strength training, slow and controlled with focus on form.
Gradually increase workload over time and don't chase anything, both in your sport and with your GPP work (many injuries happen due to overuse).
Keep your body mobile with whatever full body mobility exercises that makes you feel good and works for you.
Always warm up properly before training.
Know when to give it a rest.


After injury:
Active recovery work and low impact exercise.
Gradually increase workload.

Anything else would be more injury specific towards the type of injury.

Obviously diet, sleep and stress are important, but it seems you have that under wraps.

Great answer, thanks. Any supplementation you recommend? For my collarbone injury where it's painful to put my elbow behind my back, should I be working it out however slowly and lightly or moving it as little as possible to let the muscle heal on its own? When is ice vs heat optimal? I have a hot tub and steam room in my building, also have many ice packs. Just not sure when to use each. I read ice is good right after injury and heat is good 3-4 days on wards.

 

[Sano]

Great answer, thanks. Any supplementation you recommend? For my collarbone injury where it's painful to put my elbow behind my back, should I be working it out however slowly and lightly or moving it as little as possible to let the muscle heal on its own? When is ice vs heat optimal? I have a hot tub and steam room in my building, also have many ice packs. Just not sure when to use each. I read ice is good right after injury and heat is good 3-4 days on wards.

Can't say I know much about supplements. I'd say a good, varied diet with plenty of greens and protein. Throw in some fish oil and a multivitamin. Generally if you have a lot of overuse issues and irritation, living a more anti-inflammatory lifestyle will help. Meaning, less alchohol, no smoking and gearing your diet towards more anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods. I'm not a dietitian so my knowledge on the subject is scarse.

In regards to your collar bone pain, I'm not going to diagnose you over the internet, but does it hurt towards the center of your body or towards your shoulder? Does it hurt when you put your arm across your body to the other side, like stretching out your triceps, as well? I would give it as much rest as possible, not doing activities that hurts it, while still keeping active. At least untill the pain subsides. Really it depends on how long ago you got it, how you got it and what it is.

Regarding ice vs heat, that's a very interesting debate, one that has been going on for many years. Without going into all the specifics, I would ice at the acute stage, meaning the day or day after the injury, give it nothing afterwards and then heat some days after. Depending on the severity of injury. Basicly what you said. This pertains most to traumatic injuries.

Relaxing your muscles goes a long way as well with some overuse injuries. Massage, light aerobic work, whatever works for you.

 

[miaou]

Not sure what your particular injury is.

However, when it comes specifically to muscle injuries (minor-to-moderate muscle tears), the "Bill Starr rehab protocol" is a pretty good point of reference.

 

[curlyface]

Can't say I know much about supplements. I'd say a good, varied diet with plenty of greens and protein. Throw in some fish oil and a multivitamin. Generally if you have a lot of overuse issues and irritation, living a more anti-inflammatory lifestyle will help. Meaning, less alchohol, no smoking and gearing your diet towards more anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods. I'm not a dietitian so my knowledge on the subject is scarse.

In regards to your collar bone pain, I'm not going to diagnose you over the internet, but does it hurt towards the center of your body or towards your shoulder? Does it hurt when you put your arm across your body to the other side, like stretching out your triceps, as well? I would give it as much rest as possible, not doing activities that hurts it, while still keeping active. At least untill the pain subsides. Really it depends on how long ago you got it, how you got it and what it is.

Regarding ice vs heat, that's a very interesting debate, one that has been going on for many years. Without going into all the specifics, I would ice at the acute stage, meaning the day or day after the injury, give it nothing afterwards and then heat some days after. Depending on the severity of injury. Basicly what you said. This pertains most to traumatic injuries.

Relaxing your muscles goes a long way as well with some overuse injuries. Massage, light aerobic work, whatever works for you.

Living the anti-inflammatory life is gonna be tough (though I only drink/smoke maybe once a week max), haha! It hurts where the neck connects to the collar bone, so not in the shoulder. Doesn't hurt when I cross my arm across my body, hurts the most when I flex my shoulder and rotate my arm back, but it doesn't hurt in the actual shoulder. Happened about 3 weeks ago and I have no idea how, didn't even notice it till the next day. I continued training 3 days a week and just making it worse as I was just hoping it would go away (I do this a lot). Finally decided to take a week off. Will ice at acute stage, heat afterwards. Appreciate all the help, brother.

 

[curlyface]

Not sure what your particular injury is.

However, when it comes specifically to muscle injuries (minor-to-moderate muscle tears), the "Bill Starr rehab protocol" is a pretty good reference.

Just looked this up, sounds like this is a great way to do it. Thanks a lot!!!!

I used to do starting strength myself (about 6 years ago) but I was so much younger and never even felt close to injury so I guess I never came across it, despite being a huge Rippetoe fan.

 

[LatFlare]

Tb500

 

[busybroker]

Aa said above tb500 bpc150 are your best bet

 

[dsdoubled]

Take it from me, as someone who has been injured a lot (knee, neck, shoulder, hernia, etc) and is still able to train at a decent intensity level, I have 2 tips to greatly assist you.

1. Massage. Find a good practitioner of A.R.T (active release techniques) in your area. A.R.T. is good for everything, healing injuries, preventing injuries, correcting imbalances, increasing blood flow, its really amazing. I had a shoulder surgery scheduled and ran into a friend who was raving about A.R.T. so I gave it a try. That was 11 years ago and I never had my shoulder done.

2. A good S&C regimen. The whole point of S&C is to condition your body to be able to withstand your sport. You should never be injured in the weight room when youre an athlete, especially a combat athlete who has to practice very risky elements of their sport. You should really consider nixing the ballistic/dangerous movements your performing in the gym unless you can find someone to show u how to do it perfectly. Once your S&C is all set I expect your nagging injuries will fade and new injuries will cease to occur.

****Things like foam rolling are extremely important too.

 

[miaou]

Take it from me, as someone who has been injured a lot (knee, neck, shoulder, hernia, etc) and is still able to train at a decent intensity level, I have 2 tips to greatly assist you.

1. Massage. Find a good practitioner of A.R.T (active release techniques) in your area. A.R.T. is good for everything, healing injuries, preventing injuries, correcting imbalances, increasing blood flow, its really amazing. I had a shoulder surgery scheduled and ran into a friend who was raving about A.R.T. so I gave it a try. That was 11 years ago and I never had my shoulder done.

****Things like foam rolling are extremely important too.

Meh.

 

[MatterOverMind]

@miaou - Would you mind expounding on that?

 

[miaou]

@MatterOverMind Manual therapy (like ART) can help with spasms and can help with pain perception (non-specific effects on pain may not be long-lasting - think of it as "pain placebo"). Other than that it might help to some degree when it comes to tissue remodelling after an injury (although I doubt it is more effective than stretching and/or full-ROM strength training). But "good for everything"... from preventing injuries to male pattern baldness?? I honestly doubt that.

 

[dsdoubled]

@miaou - Would you mind expounding on that?

Trust me man its amazing. Not seeing how an intense, concentrated, DEEEEP tissue massage done while you execute certain ranges of motion is very different from stretching (are u kidding me) and regular lifting is pretty ridiculous. There are really very few similarities at all. Hit up YouTube and check it out. It has helped me with my shoulder and my neck tremendously.

 

[ShadowNINku]

Find a good PHYSICAL THERAPIST with a background in sports that has actually played a sport, lifted/lifts seriously, or been in athletics themselves.

 

[Vintersorg]

Great answer, thanks. Any supplementation you recommend? For my collarbone injury where it's painful to put my elbow behind my back, should I be working it out however slowly and lightly or moving it as little as possible to let the muscle heal on its own? When is ice vs heat optimal? I have a hot tub and steam room in my building, also have many ice packs. Just not sure when to use each. I read ice is good right after injury and heat is good 3-4 days on wards.

Get your blood work done and see if you're deficient in anything. Believe it or not, big part of the population has some deficiencies, especially vitamin D(even in countries with a lot of sunny days). Make sure you supplement at least D3 and magnesium/calcium + your omega 3/6 fatty acids(mix it up with fish oil and flax seed + walnuts). I try to eat a balanced diet, but I still supplement a little bit just in case. Btw, if you're having magnesium rich foods on any specific day, I would only take 50% of the daily supplementation because otherwise you might end up having diarrhea . It's good to supplement while you're young, your body will thank you once you approach old age.