As some of you have read I was sick for a while and was drinking plenty of fluids. Well, I have been sweating uncontrollably latley, but was still drinking at least 1 1/2 gallons of water per day. Then yesterday I was playing softball and pulled my Quad!!! I am linking this to the profuse sweating that occured the days before it. Is there a direct link between loosing water and pulling muscles? Maybe I should have drank even more water, like say over 2 gallons per day???? Or maybe I just didnt get enough for that day....DAM IM PISSED OFF!!!

I'm really upset now cause I hope I can heal up for football season in 6 weeks. Any suggestions to heal my quad faster would be greatly appreciated.

As some of you have read I was sick for a while and was drinking plenty of fluids. Well, I have been sweating uncontrollably latley, but was still drinking at least 1 1/2 gallons of water per day. Then yesterday I was playing softball and pulled my Quad!!! I am linking this to the profuse sweating that occured the days before it. Is there a direct link between loosing water and pulling muscles? Maybe I should have drank even more water, like say over 2 gallons per day???? Or maybe I just didnt get enough for that day....DAM IM PISSED OFF!!!

I'm really upset now cause I hope I can heal up for football season in 6 weeks. Any suggestions to heal my quad faster would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know about the link between water and muscle pulls...sounds like you're getting enough water. I drink over two gallons a day, and I pulled my quad a little while back playin' soccer. I think partially this has to do with stretching. I stretched out REALLY well and then when i started running after the first ball I kicked the muscle contracted after having been stretched so much and "pulled." I think that you should stretch, I've alwyas been a proponent of that, but I think there is a window of stretching that is good where too little isn't good enough and two much is detrimental.

In terms of healing my quad...I did several things...elevation helps circulate blood flow to the area (slight elevation nothing major), IcyHot (won't help anything, but it feels good if there is pain...not going to help with recovery though), and I alternated hot and cold. I wasn't quite sure which was better, cold reduces swelling and heat will help collect blood flow and loosen the muscle. I think right away cold is better and later on heat is better. I did things ike put frozen peas on my leg for a while, and then went and took a hot bath. I'm convinced however, that these things just heal themselves over time and that there really isn't all THAT much you can do to speed up recovery. Its just about preventing further injury...sorry to hear you were injured, don't worry you'll be back on your feet in no time! Good luck!

You don't 'need' anywhere NEAR that amount of water. Most average sized people will require about 1-1.5 litres of water per day, more if you sweat. The whole 'drink gallons and gallons' thing has no real scientific basis. Yes you will burn more calories if you drink ice cold water, as you have to raise it's temp to yours, and you will spend more time trotting to the lav, but you DON'T need that much at all.

You pulled your quad because you pulled it.

Andrew.

I'm in agreement with Andrew on this one. You don't need that much water, so I can't see why that would have caused your injury.

I'm not sure whether dehydration could cause you to pull muscles more easily or not though.

You don't 'need' anywhere NEAR that amount of water. Most average sized people will require about 1-1.5 litres of water per day, more if you sweat. The whole 'drink gallons and gallons' thing has no real scientific basis. Yes you will burn more calories if you drink ice cold water, as you have to raise it's temp to yours, and you will spend more time trotting to the lav, but you DON'T need that much at all.

You pulled your quad because you pulled it.

Andrew.

I had an expereince during a hockey game last week. I played a pickup game that went on for two hours after the game I had a severe headache that lasted all night. While on the bench there is usually plenty of water available but I usually just wet the inside of my mouth and spit. I'm too worried about getting cramps from drinking water. I'm wondering if I'm becoming too dehydrated. Should I be drinking more water? I though about bringing some gatorade to the bench. Does anyone know if this would be a good idea?

When I bike for, say an hour, I drink at 0.5-1 liters during that time. Just small sips from time to time...I think that helps a lot.

During heavy physical exercise in the heat, you can easily sweat over a litre per hour, of course that needs replaced.

Andrew.