Last week I strained my hamstring while I was working out. It was most definitely an audible pop with immediate pain and some weakness when reaching down and forward. There was no bruising or pain with walking.
There are several reasons that type of injury is unacceptable for me…
Most of my world is spent reaching down and forward with the children.
I need to be able to move well with clients for my work
I walk A LOT and I need my hamstrings functioning optimally in order to avoid over-stressing my abdominal wall and my diastasis. I want the hamstrings contributing to gait!
Think about all of the bending down and forward, we need to do every day!
So, I used my applied functional science thought process and put together a sequence to put gentle motion into the strain. And a sequence of exercises to change the neural input to the tissue and reduce the pain sensation and allow for better motion to occur as I go through my day.
If we really wanted to dig deep here…the variation of the single-leg deadlift that I was performing did not “cause” the strain. There was already a weakness present because of a stubborn ankle, which has been sprained several times in the past and is not 100%. Because that ankle does not move into and out of eversion and inversion well, it does not allow the hip to load well, which creates as Gary Gray says, “a chain reaction”.
I did not video me using the Hypervolt but it was step one in my process! If you do not have a Hypervolt, it is an amazing tool!!
Power Plate and ViPR Pro Combo with a variable foot position.
Here I am using a Personal Power Plate and ViPR Pro.
Coretex Hamstring Combo
Here I am using the best reactive trainer, the Coretex.
True Stretch Combo and Conclusion
Here I am using a brilliant tool, the True Stretch.
I hope you enjoyed this combo to recover motion after a minor injury! We Moms cannot be slowed down! One great thing about this injury is how it reminded me to be incredibly grateful for my function everyday!!