# only one sore muscle in leg - why? an how to prevent?



## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

here's what happened: last saturday there was (for the first time in years, and for the first time since I got into boarding last year) enough snow here so I took out my board. There's no real slope in the neighbourhood, but enough to have fun after buildinf two jumps. Basically I spent about 4 hours doing roughly the same sequence over and over again: walk uphill, strap bindings, ride down, do a flatground 180, again 180 in opposite direction, take a carve, head for little jump, do a grab, small carve, head for next jump, do a grab or 180, stop. Might sound boring, but for someone that has never done a grab nor 180 over a jump this day was totally awesome. When back at home I did the usual stretching exercises. Sunday I woke up and for some reason there was just one muscle that was really sore. I couldn't figure out the name by looking at anatomical pictures of the leg, so I just took a pic and marked the exact position. Sorry for the hairiness 










It mainly hurts like hell when lifting my leg, for example to walk up stairs or to keep it in the position as in the pic, or when pressing marked spot with my thumb. And it's only in that single muscle, at that specific place, left leg (front since I ride regular) only.
Weird thing is, sunday I went back to that slope and did the same as the day before, and I hardly felt anything, like I wasn't even using that muscle. Yet the day after the pain was even worse.

- what repeated movement can have caused caused that piece of muscle to be sore? Lifting my leg to get the boot in the binding (I alwasy do this standing up)? 180? Bending knees to bring board up for grab?
- what would be the best way to stretch this? Putting my leg on a table then bending towards my foot seems to stretch the bigger muscles surrounding that area only, not that specific one.
- in 3 weeks I'll be on a real mountain, first time ever. I would like to train that muscle to be somewhat stronger by that time in order not to be in terrible pain after the first day already ;P What exercise would be suitable? Just lifting the leg (well, that's what hurts so I guess it trains?)?


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## ev13wt (Nov 22, 2010)

Ride more. Sound like you are out of shape.

Learning new tricks always saps ebergy hard because you are trying hard and usually use much more energy that you actually need to. 

Strap on your board on carpet. Do some jumps and 180 and your leg will tell you what trick it was.


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## Dano (Sep 16, 2009)

Try changing up your stance width, could be too wide


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## Zapatista (Jul 24, 2008)

Also try riding switch more to even out the workload.


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

You need to do your streching right before and right after. After you stop useing your body it gets all tight very fast. You also need to drink more water. You need like a gallon of water a day. When you go up to the mountains you will need to drink even more. Also take small breaks when doing stuff. Be easy on your body and your body will be easy on you. Can can still push yourself but do it right. 


If you get a cramp try pickle juice.


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## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

thanks for the tips. I'll definitely try stretching before riding as well, and drink more water. I have no carpet but strapped on my board anyway and it seems that when doing tailpresses I did hit the spot: my board is rather stiff so I really have to lean back and pull my leg up.
Not sure if stance width will change something; also I'm very happy with the current width, I already tried some variations but keep coming back to the current one..


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## mikemounlio (Oct 6, 2010)

Keep your feet how you want them you will get over it. You need to hit the streching harder. 


When i think i am done streching i strech some more. Your body really takes a while to warm up. You see kids all day long going straight from car to slopes. Take your time. If you were to put 30 minutes of your day on streching you would save 2 hours of BIT**ing about it later. I do it sometimes to. Like on X-mas i had to be the frist one on the hill to hit the pow i didnt strech. Also i didnt take breaks cause the pow was the best i have ever had around here. i was hurtin till about two days ago.


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## 55Nick15 (Aug 11, 2008)

muscle is your semimembranosus. its one of the three hamstring muscles.


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## MistahTaki (Apr 24, 2010)

Could be a real minor strain. Take more protein and let it rest. After it feels better, stretch and ride.


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## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

55Nick15 said:


> muscle is your semimembranosus. its one of the three hamstring muscles.


hey thanks for clearing that out. I've been looking at anatomical pictures for like half an hour before posting here but couldn't figure out which one it was exactly.
Did figure out how to strecth it though; I decided to try out mikemounlio's advice in an extreme way: I've been strecthing thoroughly each day even if I had no physical activity planned and it seems to be pay off already.. The usual feeling of stiffness and being somewhat blocked that I normally have each morning when waking up has definitely decreased. Also yesterday the snow was pretty much gone so I took the bmx out again and it definitely felt better than otherwise after a break of a couple of weeks.


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## Mr. Polonia (Apr 5, 2009)

looks like Christian Bales leg in the "Machinist" haha :laugh:


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## baldylox (Dec 27, 2007)

Your quad looks pretty underdeveloped, especially the two side muscles that stabilize the knee. I'd say look up some exercises to focus on them.


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## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

might be looks only. I'm uberskinny and have about zero fat in my body. Anyway they serve me well and it won't get any better than this: I'm not a fulltime snowboarder and hate fitness, the only exercise they get is daily bicycle ride and about 5hrs of bmx a week.



> "Machinist"


ha, loved that movie.


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