Tore My Hamstring/Starr Rehab

[theuofh]

Its relatively minor compared to some of the ugliness on google image searches. I did it doing part of Defranco's agile 8 where you lay on your back roll your legs over your head then roll back down into v-sit. Some girl was on the only C2 so I didn't bother getting warm, and sure enough on about the 3rd one I heard and felt a loud rip that couldn't be anything good.

I cut back on volume that workout and did back off front squats followed by some light back squats to see how it felt, and it felt much weaker and enough to stop me from going after my 5x5.

This is my first experience with a tear or I would have left the gym immediately and iced it.

It happened Monday evening, walking was semi tender but easily manageable yesterday, and today I can walk fine. BW squats feel fine except for a little twinge when I get to about a quarter squat.

SLDL and hamstring stretches, however, let me know it is still there.

I'm going to start Starr rehab on Friday, Barx25x3, then go up 10 lbs a day for 10 days straight. The movement will be squats. After the 10 days, I will 15 for a day, then 10 for day, then have a shot at some moderate 5s (~75% of 5rm). I might have forgot a day, but I have it planned out on a piece of paper, but its the recommendations in the sticky.

Has anybody used the Starr protocol and how would you judge the success rate? Any general experiences, advice, or comments are welcome as well.

I'm also wondering if I should do some SLDL or maybe even box squats to hit the hamstring a bit more, as the squats feel alright and don't cause a whole lot of pain, while the SLDL will leave me a wincing a bit.

Thanks.

This also happened after I started talking shit about Crossfit in the Crossfit thread, so maybe I should learn to keep my mouth shut and maybe less bad things will happen to me.

[theuofh]

Since nobody had anything to add, I'm going to log my rehab and status in this thread for the next 14 days in case somebody else happens to encounter this situation.

If this is unacceptable to the mods, please tell me to stop.

Also, Please feel free to comment or add your own experiences.

Original Injury was D-4 Days from Day 1.

Day 1:
Warm Up:
C2 3x300 m, Damper = 2 x2 and Damper = 7 x1 , Felt Fine

Stretch:
Bulgarian Split Squat Stretch
S2S Leg Swings... Cursed out loud first one and promptly quit

Back Squat:
Barx25x3, Felt OK

Bike Video Game:
Course Dusk Cruise? in 8:39

ICE

...Felt a bit worse after due to possibly re-aggravating it on the leg swings.

[theuofh]

Day 2:
Warm Up:
12xBW Good Mornings + 5 Pulls Ups x 3

...Good mornings hurt

Back Squat:
45x25, 50x25, 55x25
w/ a set of 10 pull ups in between each

...Squats felt better each set

ICE

I'll start foam rolling tomorrow or Monday and maybe do good mornings standing on a monster mini band w/ increasing frequency throughout the day at work to get some blood moving since I sit on my ass all day.

I'll start training around this Monday with higher reps and attempt to avoid anything heavy while this heals.

[IWillLiveFreeOrDie]

I followed the advice in the injury sticky when my shoulder started really hurting the other week. I was amazed at how quickly the problem resolved itself.

Good luck with your recovery!

[theuofh]

I followed the advice in the injury sticky when my shoulder started really hurting the other week. I was amazed at how quickly the problem resolved itself.

Good luck with your recovery!

Thanks. It feels like its coming along but there is still a far way to go.

Day 3:

Back Squat:
45x25, 55x25, 65x25

ICE

Whole back of leg is slightly sore in morning which I haven't felt before. I'm considering it rehab pain.

[theuofh]

Day 4:
Missed

Day 5:

C2 2x300m
Samson Stretch

Back Squat:
45x25, 65x25, 85x25

3 Sets of 10 Chins
3 Sets of Reverse BB Curls
3 Sets of BB Curls

C2 2x500m @ 1:55/ ...Cut it short as hamstring started hurting slightly

ICE

Feeling slightly better. Walking feels good, even up and down stairs, and did some light standing jumps a bit yesterday and those felt fine too. But its still sore in stretched position.

[theuofh]

Day 6:

C2 3x300m
Slow, Easy Leg Swings... Tender and Tight

Back Squat:
65x25, 75x25, 85x25

DB Presses

C2 2x1000m @ 2:00/500m pace

...Met two serious powerlifters who have a nice setup going in one of their garages. I was invited to train Friday, which I am looking forward to. I was so excited I messed up the loading.

...Feeling much better, but still tender when stretching.

[theuofh]

Day 7:

C2 3x300m
w/ samson stretch, fire hydrants, and glute activation in between
Slow, Easy Leg Swings
...still tender

Back Squat:
65x25, 85x25, 105x25

4 sets Low Incline DB Presses + BB Curls
3 sets Cybex Pulldown + Seated DB Ext Rot

Back Extension:
BWx15x3
...uninjured hamstring got a burn while injured felt nothing

Pain has 'dulled' or whatever Rip called it in the sticky. When I wake up, I am a bit sore from my butt cheek down to the back inside of my left knee. Last squat set felt nothing in terms of hamstring pain, while previous two were a bit painful.

Still trying to take it easy, but I may end up benching heavy tomorrow.

[gordonrumble]

I wonder if you're favoring the leg a bit, strange that you felt it more in the healthy hamstring. I'm no expert in this.

[theuofh]

It was a 90deg extension machine and the first time I've been on it since the injury. I may have been favoring the right leg and really hesitant to pull through the left hamstring. But looking back, I was doing the reps slow w/ a bit of a pause for the 1st two sets. I think I would have felt some uneven fatigue in the low back, which I don't recall.

I'm not ruling out the possibility though and I think the back extensions will only serve to keep my lower back in working order so I can resume where I left off on the deadlift when I get back. I don't get a full hamstring eccentric even if I try to make it more of a hip extension.

For the squats, now that there is enough weight on the bar to feel, I have been real strict w/ practicing form and really working on an even hip drive instead of just banging out the reps. I expect some form improvements out of what will amount to ~14 days of continuous squatting practice.

[theuofh]

Day 8: Probably Overdid It

Slow, Easy Leg Swings

Back Squat:
65x25, 115x25, 135x25

Low Box Squat:
135 x Some Sets

Parallel Box Squat:
155 x 5 x some
155 x 15
...Felt hamstring most on this one

SLDL:
Bar x 25 x Some

Muscle Snatch:
F-ing around w/ 95

Standing Abs:
Up to 90 x 15

ICE

...Probably overdid it. Was invited to train in a guy's garage for the first time. Nice setup w/ reverse hyper, full rack, ghd, jerk blocks, an assortment of straight bars, kbs, bumpers, and a cheap pulldown.The guy trained at Westside for 2 years, so I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. He also mixes oly lifts with the slow lifts, so finally I may have found a quality training partner. Another 300lb powerlifter trains there too, but he wasn't in today.

[theuofh]

Day 9:
Warm Up:
3x20 KB Swings

Back Squat:
65x25
115x25
155x25

...Still tender but stretching feels better, as in I can get a decent stretch w/o feeling like anything is going to rip apart, but it is still a bit painful. Squats feel good enough and I might try some light deadlifts coming up here soon.

[theuofh]

Day 10:
Warm Up:

Found a keg, took it apart, rinsed it, put 7.5 gallons in it, put it back together, cleaned and pressed it a couple times, carried it out to garage. Garbage picking win.

Leg Swings
...More dynamic, still a bit tight and tender, but less like something is going to rip

Back Squat:
75x25
135x25
185x25
...Didn't feel the hamstring at all, so this is good

...Supposed to be dropping reps and adding weight, but I'm tempted to go keep going until 315x20 in the squat. Feeling much improved in terms of squats, but I'm still worried about deadlifts. I'll try to work up to maybe 275-315x10+ tomorrow and see how it feels. In 3 days the daily updates will end, then I will chime in w/ sporadic pertinent updates, and when I'm setting PRs I will stop all together.

[theuofh]

Day 11: Improving

Warm Up:
Squat Barx25
Leg Swings
KB Swing

...Pretty close to feeling normal on the leg swings, I still kept it a bit less dynamic

Back Squat:
95x25
155x25
225x20
...225 felt heavy on shoulders but the squats were relatively painless

Deadlift:
225x5
...hamstring noticeable on eccentric, not painful but being careful, so I stopped

SLDL:
135x11,15
...felt better as sets progressed

...Feeling better. Didn't feel hamstring at all on squats and stretching it feels pretty close to normal w/ just a bit of residual soreness. Still not going to deadlift heavy this week, and just let things slowly ramp back up.

[theuofh]

Day 12: Rest

Foam Roll
Static Stretch

...Tried the movement I originally did this with and still tight and painful. Its a sit on your butt w/ your legs to the side in a V and lean forward. Went easy, but stretched it thoroughly. I'm going to keep this up, and I might have to find a new movement to work it through this ROM. Starting to think squats weren't the best rehab movement, but I don't know of any thing else that would have worked it in the same position, unless I did like a seated w/ legs spread in a V good morning or something retarded like that.

[theuofh]

Day 13:

Warm Up:
C2 3x300m
Leg Swings
OH Squats

Squat:
Barx15
135x10
185x5
225x5
255x20
...Relatively easy again. Might have cut depth in order to get a good bounce.

Wide Stance Goodmornign:
Barx20
75x20
95x20
...Hits the sore area good. These felt better as I worked through. Should have done a progression w/ some direct hamstring work since day 6 or 7 or so and I feel I would be further along than I am now.

Standing Calves:
135x10
225x10
315x8+7 RP

2 Sets Seated Calves
2 Sets Tibia Raises

Standing Abs

Bike Video Game Course ~20 min HR ~170

...Feel good. Wanted to do some more real lifting but stopped. I should be cutting reps but I am going to push the 20s and hopefully get to around 315. I volunteered and was selected to be a test subject for a new Eric Cressey program, so I will switch to that when I get the details.

[theuofh]

Day 14:
Upper
Back Extensions 20,15,10

Day 15:
Much Needed Rest

Day 16:
Heavy snatches up to 175. Missed 185, which I've power snatched. Haven't trained the movement in awhile and power cleaned 265 recently, so I think I need to improve my technique.

Good Mornings:
Barx20
75x20
115x20

...Calling the situation resolved. Feels worlds better, still a bit tender on the good mornings but I can stretch and move freely. Going to titrate reps down on squats, keep the high rep goodmornings, and work back up on deadlifts for the next couple weeks.

[gordonrumble]

Interesting log.

[theuofh]

Glad you are enjoying it Gordon. Its not how I usually train, but its working around this hamstring thing which is really frustrating me. If I can't deadlift heavy soon, I'm probably going to end up freaking out at an inopportune time.

Day 17: Rest

Day 18: Snatches

Warm Up:
Jump Rope
Plate OHS
Samson
KB Swing+Snatch

Snatch:
Some
135x1x3
145x1x2
155x1x5 ... was going to stop here
165x1
175x1
185x0
185x1 PR

Couldn't let it go. Fixing technique stuff. Should be good for more as these technique issues get worked out.

Back Squat:
135x10
225x10
275x5 ...felt heavy and hamstring was slightly aggravated

Good Morning:
Barx20
95x20

Comments:
Hamstring felt a little worse after snatches, so I cut back on squats which felt much heavier than they should have been.

Am at a loss of how to proceed here after starting regular stuff somewhat, but I'm definitely still messed up so if anybody has anything I'm in need of advice.

[theuofh]

Day 19

Warm Up:
Usual

Parallel Box Squat:
Barx10
135x10
185x5
225x5
255x5
275x5 (...belt)
295x8 (...belt) ...was going to stop here
315x1 (...belt)
345x2 (...belt) ...could've paused longer
275x5

...Felt fine. Wanted to keep going but reigned it in. These do a better job of hitting sore spot than free squats. Stretching it still feels dull painful. I'm not used to box squatting, but I think I did alright.

Presses and Chins
2 Sets of Curls
Roman Chair Situps + Med Ball Roll Outs
Static Stretching

...Some conditioning tomorrow then I'll attempt some deadlifts on Thursday. These will be the ultimate test if I am good or not.

[theuofh]

Day 20

Warm Up:
C2 Rower
Leg Swings... Full Speed

Goodmornings:
Barx20
95x20
115x20
135x15

Fat Bar Curls
20 min Incline Walking on Treadmill ...to get some blood flowing

...Still feels painful in the stretch. Going to attempt work up to 405x5 on deadlift tomorrow, PR is 425x8 on haltings which I was working on before the injury. 405x5 might be a little aggressive, but if I could box squat about 350 w/o too much trouble I'll see how this goes. I'll cut it off and do some higher volume stuff at lower weight if it feels like I might fuck it up again.

...Definitely some progress happening, and if am at full speed in under 4 weeks I'll be happy. I've done more curls in the past 2 weeks than the last couple months of normal training.

[theuofh]

Day 21: Calling it Rehabbed

Warm Up:
C2x300m
Activation, Samson Stretch
OH Squats
Full Speed Leg Swings

Deadlift:
135x5
225x5
275x5
315x5
365x5
405x1
435x1 (...belt)
455x1x3 ...10 sec cluster (...belt)
405x5 (...belt)

Good to go. Experimented w/ the hook grip all the way up to 455. Still not 100% confident w/ it but that will come. Only got 3 w/ the hook grip on 405x5, then switched to mixed grip.

Light Front Squats
Back Extensions

Resolution:
Since I deadlifted heavy fine, I am calling it 90% rehabbed. I'm going to resume training full speed Monday right where I left off, except I'm done w/ haltings and I'm going back to straight deadlifts.

Its still a bit painful when stretched, and I'm going to keep some high reps sets of good mornings after all training days, and do a heavy/medium/light type thing for the next week or so just to be sure it is finishing the healing process.

Looking back, it was not a terrible injury and it did not bruise but it did pop loudly and was injured enough to take 3 weeks to fix. I would have iced for the first 3 days and maybe got a compression sleeve for it, then I would have added some light static stretching and light free squats for a first few days, then switched to box squats for a few more, and finally finished w/ goodmornings as I think they did a better job of stimulating the torn fibers i.e. it hurt more. I would have used heat after the initial injury period and maybe even applied some liniment pre training.

I hope that is all and the hamstring feels a little beat right now, but I don't think its anything some food and sleep won't fix.

I would like to thanks Bill Starr for coming up w/ this protocol, and thanks to Rip and everyone involved in the creation/maintenance of the board for sharing it. I don't know what I would have done without it.

[theuofh]

Update:
Roughest week of my life. Thought I was going to be looking for a new job and had the toughest exam I have ever taken. Went 4 days then 3 days w/o lifting, and the session in the middle was brief just to get some movement in.

Hamstring started aching w/o the exercise. I'm back to it, but its far from healed.

[IWillLiveFreeOrDie]

Thanks for keeping this log going. It was nice to look through. Even if you didn't get a lot of responses people were still reading it. :D