Need a little therapy advice

[DrMooreReferee]

Hello guys,

Need a little advice. About 5 weeks ago, during the 4th qtr of a game, both of my calves felt like they were knotting up on me. At that point I began to try to stretch them in between plays. I made it through the game. But man did they hurt. I sort of thought it was probably a cramp. The next day they were really sore. Moving forward I made an extra special effort to stretch them every day, especially before games. But they have been bothering me ever since. Not so bad that I can't officiate. I purchased these calve sleeves. Kind of snug fitting sleeves for support and they hold in heat. Hard to say if they're helping very much. At this point, I'm wondering if maybe I pulled both of them, maybe a deep pull thats hard to get over. But last night it was kinda cool, and I was hoping they wouldn't hurt as bad. I was wrong. I feel pretty good at the start of the game. But they get progressively worse as the game goes on.

I really respect this officiating community. Thats why I decided to call upon you guys for advice. I imagine there's probably someone out there who has experienced the same sort of problem. If so, please share your thoughts. I'd really appreciate it. Maybe there's something I need to be doing that will help me get through this season with a little less pain. I did wanna mention again, its not so bad that I can't perform. In fact, I refuse to get beat to the goal line. But man does it hurt.

Thanks in advance,
Dr.Moore

[OverAndBack]

Ice. More ice. Then some heat. And some more ice. I think that helps.

I had shin splints earlier in the season until my shins got used to all the running, now I have sore lower leg muscles, but not shin splints.

I ice when I get home. Sometimes I do heat as well because it feels so good.

[bossman72]

A little different approach, but a BIG help is an ice BATH. It may sound a little strange, but you get out and your legs feel like a million bucks. Here's what you do:

1) Go to the store and get one of those big bags of ice, and a small bag to use. (If you like doing this, you can freeze water bottles and milk cartons in the freezer for ice and chop them up to use them- less expensive).

2) Fill your bath tub up with cold water so that when you sit down in the tub, the water level is at your belly button.

3) Throw ice into the tub and wait about 3 minutes, then jump in. Wear a pair of briefs in the tub so your boys don't get too too cold (don't wear swim trunks or shorts since you want your legs in direct contact with the water). Throw the little bag of ice in when the remains of the big bag start to melt away.


I'll be the first to tell you, when you first get in, it SUCKS. But after 5-8 minutes, you'll be fine. Sit in the tub for 15-20 minutes. You will get out and after about 5-10 minutes, you'll feel like a million bucks. I guarantee it.

[HLin NC]

going to keep "the boys" from getting too cold? In the mere seconds it takes for the cotton to soak up the water, the temp should be the same inside as out??

I'm already taking Celebrex and love red meat. My heart couldn't take too many more angles of attack.

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

going to keep "the boys" from getting too cold? In the mere seconds it takes for the cotton to soak up the water, the temp should be the same inside as out??

I'm already taking Celebrex and love red meat. My heart couldn't take too many more angles of attack.

hahaha! i said, it doesn't help much, but it's better than having the water contact the jewels directly. it definitely won't be toasty, but you can definitely tell a difference when you go in with them on or without them.

Honestly, you'll feel great after an ice bath. Don't knock it 'till you try it. haha

[cougar729]

I will get shin splints every now and then, I will have some of those small bathroom paper cups and fill them with water, then put them in the freezer, after a game, take them out and just rub up and down the legs, thats seems to work well. An ice bath sounds pretty good too though.

[parepat]

We had a guy in our association that had a similar problem what would occur every year. He finally tried and subsequently swore by Swedish Massage. (Let me stop here and tell all of you dirt balls that I am not talking about a tall blonde named Olga) I guess this involves deep painsfull rubbing of the muscle. Haven't tried it, but he swore by it.

[ABoselli]

Man, an ice bath? How long does it take before you have feeling back?

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by ABoselli

Man, an ice bath? How long does it take before you have feeling back?

A good 10 minutes or so. Your legs feel real stiff when you get out, but they will thaw quickly. Seriously though, you feel like a million bucks when you get out. It's even better if you have access to an actual "cold tub" like many football teams do so you don't have to play around with ice and temperature management.

[Rick KY]

Doc Moore, I experienced this very thing about 3 years ago, though only in the right leg. I belong to a gym where they have a staff that facilitates post surgical physical therapy. They gave me a sonogram treatment on my calf muscles. The sonogram is a deep muscle massage using sound waves. You hear or feel nothing. But after it's over your muscles feel great. The physical therapist said I probably had a mild mucle pull causing the tighness and pain.

[Warrenkicker]

The ice tubs are great. We used those in college and after showering you would stand in them, as deep as you were willing, for as long as you were willing. When coming out your legs would feel great as the cold helped remove the acids built up from running apparently.

The other was the ice bath where it was a stainless steel tub with a seat and something similar to a trolling motor to circulate the water. You didn't have a choice to not go in to your waist on this one, especially when it was a hip issue you were trying to treat. After that you were too numb to know if your legs felt better. Let's just say it was easy to be offended when you were sitting in there and a trainer dumped in a bunch more ice.