Q:

I am 22 yrs old, female. I seem to possibly pull the muscle from my butt to the middle of my back inner thigh a lot, on both legs. I don't know if this is what is happening though. It's a really sharp, deep pain (like deep so I can't massage it). When it happens, it hurts to sit, stand, walk, lay down, pretty much anything. Another weird thing is it seems to happen when I don't work out for a week or so. (I try to exercise about 2-3 times a week doing cardio or pilates, oh and it's not from pilates because it was doing it before I started doing them).

Anyway, normally it lasts about 2 days so that is why I have been assuming I just get tight from not working out and pull the muscle. This week however, it started hurting on Sunday night and although it's not quite as bad as it was, it is still hurting a lot today (Thursday). Could this really be just a muscle being pulled or would it be something different?
Thank you so much for any help/advice!

 

A:

It sounds like you are having recurrent hamstring strains. That particular injury is notorious for being recurrent once it occurs, much as you describe. The process for breaking that cycle involves prolonged healing followed by a rehab program to restore strength and flexibility to the muscle(s) involved.

You should be evaluated by an appropriate provider so that an accurate diagnosis can be determined, and then you may need referral for rehabilitation therapy. If you are a WWU student, the place to start would be the Student Health Center.

~The Doc