I think I may have torn my abdominal muscle. My top left ab has been giving me a bit of discomfort for a little while. I've basically ignored it. Trained as normal. Maybe foolishly. But the discomfort was pretty minimal. Today, that changed...I was doing a chest/back superset today. I felt a bit of discomfort as I began to warm up but nothing major. Then on my first semi-work bench set of 225, I felt a SHARP pain in my top left abdominal. I had to stop. I tried to do a set of rows but that also hurt a lot. Now, walking back from the gym [and even sitting here somewhat] I feel a tightness there and a pulling senstation.
I'm looking for advice on what to do. My thought is to take the next week off from lifting. One issue is that I've been on a fairly strict cut. But I'm really lean now and don't even care if I don't lose more fat. At least for now. But I don't really want to be dieting on a week of no lifting. I thought that I would up my calories close to maintenance on this week off.
I also am going to try to get to a sports medicine doctor. But god knows how long that will take. [any recommendations for a good one in ann arbor]. But are there any tests I should specifically ask for to get a real diagnosis? And what are the treatment options I should discuss. Hopefully, it will just go away on its own with some rest, but I don't know. Anything else I should do in the meantime? Should I restrict all exercise. I'd like to at least get some sprints or running in. The though of doing NOTHING doesn't sit well with me. Maybe experiment and see if non-lifting activiy irritates it. Any thoughts or advice is MUCH appreciated!
Well, I am in to see a top-of-the-line sports medicine doctor. My brother-in-law who is a doctor said it sounded to him like an abdominal hernia or abdominal strain. I hope neither since both can put you out of commission for awhile. Anybody have either of these before?
If you can sprint you probably didn’t tear anything.
Well, I haven’t tried sprinting. But jogging HURTS. I tested that out. I have my appointment on Thursday. I’m not going to do any exercise till then. But I really hope it’s something else that requires less downtime. This is SO frustrating. I’ve had injuries running track in college[rare though]. But this would be my first major lifting injury. I haven’t been out of the weight room for more than a week in 4 years.
Kevin Garnett feels your pain.
Any advice or anyone who has experienced this?
I hope you have a hasty recovery. Maybe your body needs the rest after 4 years anyways and you will come back stronger then ever!
[quote]DanErickson wrote:
I hope you have a hasty recovery. Maybe your body needs the rest after 4 years anyways and you will come back stronger then ever![/quote]
Haha. Thanks. I have taken 1 week breaks at various times throughout this time. Just the thought of a month or something of no activity is miserable. I’m really hoping that it’s something else. Maybe. Cause the pain right now is not bad. We’ll have to see though.
No experience with anything like this, but I hope you feel better soon, and even if you did have to sit out a month from lifting, in the scheme of things,allowing yourself to heal will set you up for greater gains down the road than if you rushed back too early. Take care man.
[quote]novagreg wrote:
No experience with anything like this, but I hope you feel better soon, and even if you did have to sit out a month from lifting, in the scheme of things,allowing yourself to heal will set you up for greater gains down the road than if you rushed back too early. Take care man.[/quote]
Thanks Greg. I know you are right. Layoffs are just frustrating. Especially forced layoffs.