Stiffness when playing (not cramping)

[african lion]

Hi guys, I have been feeling real stiff when playing. I cant figure it out because I strech and jog before i play. Inever jogged or stretched in the past and dont ever recall this type of problem. I am getting up there in age(27) but I was wondering if anyone has an answer to the problem.It not cramping! I can still play and run with some pain and stiffness .Its getting so bad that i have to play goaly and rub my shin and calfs. any advice????

[Middle Of The Shed]

It could be your out of shape or whatever.
Or it could be down to what your eating, whether your getting the right foods and so on.

Not really sure whether either are much help though, sorry.

[SoccerLuva]

Gosh, I have no idea. I'm not an experienced player, so I've never delt with that before. I'd probably talk to your doctor though. I mean, if you're stretching correctly, then I don't see why you'd be getting stiff. And even though you say you can still run and play, it's probably not the best thing to be doing if you're actually in pain. Sorry I couldn't be of more help...

[Strieder]

Joints getting stiff as well? Maybe start taking some glucosamine?

[Chas (Psyatika)]

You don't need to take medication, let's not go crazy here.

If it's your shins, then it's likely shin splints. It happened to me too. It's just because you're jumping from a low amount of ativity to suddenly exerting the energy required to play football.

I also had a problem with the muscle just below my knee near my shin, where (according to the doctor) the muscle had grown too quickly for the tendons, and the strain is what is causing the "stiffness". It could be the same for you. Just be more gradual, and let your body adjust to the increased activity. You'll be fine in a couple weeks...you don't even really need to stop playing. But do try to cut down for a while.

You should stretch AFTER you exercise, because that's when your muscles need it most. Before you exercise you should focus more on warming up the muscles rather than stretching them cold.

[loden]

1. look into dynamic stretches/warmups (athletesperformance.com is a good start)

2. ice your shins 3 times a day 5 minutes at a time

3. take ibuprofen

4. drink enough water

[african lion]

I have tried gatorade and drinking enough water on friday and i also tried some powder drinks from GNC and I like to say I felt great. Not only did the stiffness fo away but I feel more energized. :D thanks for all the help what would i do without soccerboards.

[soccer4life_7]

i didn't want to start a new topic but i really need help.. my lower back has been killing me for two months .. ive got a bone scan, an Mri and xray done and they all show that im fine but my lower back still killz like crazy .. it feels like the muscles are really tignt and i cant beand foward or backward that much.. does any one know what i can do to make my self better .. im in desperate need of help plzzplzzplzz

[vanity_soccer13]

soccer4life_7, do you go to the gym?


if so, they most likely have a machine similar to this:

http://www.sports-equip-supplies.com/phystraining/images/01800911.jpg

I'll explain my routine I had to go through for physical therapy when I hurt my lower back.


3 times a week I went. I'd start by getting warmed up with a heating pad on my back and hip flexors, or by warming up on the stationary bike(your best bet probably). after that, I'd do some stretching, and go right to that machine I posted. I'd do this: http://www.exrx.net/AnimatedEx/HipFlexors/LVHipFlexion.gif

then: http://www.exrx.net/AnimatedEx/HipAdductors/LVStandingHipAdduction.gif

[vanity_soccer13]

and finally just do the opposite of the first, and have your leg on the pad, and push backwards in the opposite direction.

also, I had to do typical leg and hamstring extensions.

you also need to do abs(I think you said you do and they're strong though). regular crunches, crunches with medicine balls, crunches on fitness balls, etc. I like to vary, and one workout will consist of situp/crunches on an inclined bench, and these 2:

http://www.exrx.net/AnimatedEx/HipFlexors/WtVerticalStraightLegRaise.gif
http://www.exrx.net/AnimatedEx/HipFlexors/WtVerticalLegRaise.gif

and the other times I work a circuit of crunches, where I'll do 15 normal followed by 15 to the left, 15 to the right, and 15 jacknife situps http://www.exrx.net/AnimatedEx/RectusAbdominis/WtJacknifeSitUp.gif, and keep going down until I hit 1 of each and I'm finished. I'll also workout my obliques.

afterwards, if you feel up to it you can take a jog on the treadmill.. but regardless finish with stretching, especially your hamstrings. tight hamstrings can be the cause of a lot of back pain. also, make sure you ice your hip flexors and lower back after stretching.


hopefully this all helps

[soccer4life_7]

thaks for all the info .. i hope some will help.. where i work out tho .. they dont have a amchine like that? and about my pain... it feels very sharp at times and doesn't allow me to play to my best .. .. when i go in for tackles and extend i can feel a sharp pain really badly.. how much longer will this last .. is there any way to losen my back muscles by my self.. like i said before .. some times when siting for long peroins i get up but cant strighten my back .. i gota kinda cure my back so it doesn hurt... if any one know anytin else it will help alot.. and vanity_soccer13 thanks alot for the effort u put in .. im guna tray to follow this by myself at home.. cuz my personal trainer put me on a glut strengthnin programe.. iuno if it will help tho..

newayz .. people plez if u know anytin help

[vanity_soccer13]

it's probably not going to get better if you continue playing. I used to get extremely stiff too.. being in school was awful, I'd get up to walk after sitting down in class for an hour, and I couldn't always straighten up all the way. it didn't get better until soccer was over and I went through about a month of physical therapy.


you can probably get away with any type of machine that targets hip flexion, like this http://www.exrx.net/AnimatedEx/HipAdductors/LVSeatedHipAdduction.gif

they make them where you push outward as well.

but, I'm not sure how high tech the place you work out is..

[soccer4life_7]

so you think a month of physcial therapy will do the trick.. what did you take for pain.. i kinda dont wana take advill and stuff because its bad for your liver.. any suggestions.. would a massage be good aswell..

[vanity_soccer13]

I'm not saying that you have to take physical therapy, just that maybe it's something to look into. it can be a little pricey, but I mean, if it works then it's definitely worth the money to me.

advil and aleve are only really bad if you take them for extended periods of time. I believe I took vioxx, which of course turned out to be bad for you*.. but, it was only for the first week of therapy to kill off any inflamation I might get. after that, it was just icing after therapy.


what were the exact circumstances of how you hurt yourself again?



* funny thing..vioxx turned out to be really bad. now, the contact solution I use has been found to be contaminated or something, and is causing eye infections in the US and Europe. I apparently can't win.

[mrfocus]

so you think a month of physcial therapy will do the trick.. what did you take for pain.. i kinda dont wana take advill and stuff because its bad for your liver.. any suggestions.. would a massage be good aswell..

I would try and look up for a local beginner's Yoga class. You could even talk to your teacher about it eventually, they could recommend stretching that you should do quite regularly. It sounds like you have really tight muscles, yoga would help you generally relax and would also relax your muscles. I might scan some of the exercices we did in my yoga class at college.

HTH

mrfocus

[soccer4life_7]

yoga .. you think that would work.. o and btw im on a core programe wherei work out .. its called I.S.M health center

[FutbolNewbie]

African Lion. I am 35 years old, and have returned to playing after 20 years. I get a lot of stiffness in my lower back, knees, and ankles. It is most to do with the aging process. Here is what I recommend - do some warm-up for about 1o min and so stretching exercises for your lower back (if you need any I will describe what I do) and for your ankles and knees and claves.

Further, BEFORE soccer season starts it is very good to start walking, and start doing light soccer drills for about 1hr. 3 days a week. Your body will get used to the "load" fairly quickly. If you just jump into playing full-out, you will most likely be in a world of soreness.
When I returned to playing, I had a shin splint, sore and stiff knees, ankles, inner-thigh, and lower back.

You alo need to stretch you lower back and calves/ankles AFTEr you do any exercise as well.

FutbolNewbie

[safc1990]

does anyone know what i can do for my ankles? when im playing i feel like heavy footed and cant run properly, then my ankles start acheing and hurting