by Meredith & Doc Dill
This one's pretty simple. I was sparring with a guy who was bigger and more experienced and got nailed in the left leg with three Thai kicks in rapid succession. My leg was killing me for days after, but no bruise showed. It happened to be the same leg with my injured ankle which was not quite healed. And it also happened to occur one day before a three day Savate seminar I was attending. I wrapped it up during the seminar and tried to avoid getting kicked there. And the next time I went with the guy who had kicked me I moved the entire time. My left leg is now a little shy, which I'm not sure is a bad thing.
Doc Dill responds:
Thigh bruises are potentially very serious. There are two areas of the body, the bicep and the quadriceps that have a tendency to turn accumulated blood, called a hemotoma, into bone. This is called myositis ossificans. This happens a lot to football players who cut down their thigh pads so they can run more freely.
Martial arts practitioners are particularly susceptible for reasons other than the obvious constant impact. In martial arts in particular there is a bit of quackery healing going on. All of the Ancient Asian Secrets applied by well meaning but ignorant “healers” should be avoided. Use only well known and preferably licensed practitioners. I do know a few trusted non-licensed “healers” but always use caution when seeking treatment. Both the biceps and quadriceps should NEVER be massaged after a deep bruise. This furthers the chances of developing a bony growth in the muscle.
This bone is both painful and debilitating. Surgical removal is the usual way of dealing with it although there are Physical Therapists in New York State that do iontophoresis with acetic acid to dissolve the heterotopic bone. I have seen radiographs before and after and the results are encouraging.
Basically lots of ice, gentle range of motion without pain, compression with ace wraps and protection from impact for several weeks is the way to deal with a deep thigh or bicep bruise. Good luck in your training.
Dr D
In case you missed it earlier, Doc Dill isn't actually a doctor. Take his advice for what it's worth, but consider talking to someone with the appropriate credentials.
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