Robles to miss indoor season with thigh injury

Associated Press 2/12/09

HAVANA (AP) — Olympic hurdles champion Dayron Robles will miss the rest of the indoor track season because of a left hamstring injury.

The Cuban aggravated the injury during a 60-meter hurdles heat in France on Tuesday. That came after a strained hamstring had already kept him out of recent events in Goteborg, Sweden, and Stuttgart, Germany.

"It was decided by Robles' coach Santiago Antuner that Robles will not compete any further in the indoor season," the organizers of an indoor meet in Birmingham, England, said Thursday in a statement. "The injury is not severe but enough to cause concern."

Robles, who won the 110-meter hurdles at the Beijing Olympics and holds the world record in the event, is expected to be back in time for the world championships in August in Berlin.

"Dayron's injury is not serious," former high jump star and current Cuban track federation official Javier Sotomayor said in a telephone interview from Spain. "For now he has canceled his next two events ... (and is) contemplating returning to Cuba to continue his medical treatment."

"It's just one of those things that happens during an athlete's career," Sotomayor said. "The most important thing for Dayron is recovering fully to be in perfect condition for the next world championships."

Hamstring injuries are common injuries for runners. A pulled hamstring is a injury to the muscle in the back of your upper leg. This injury is usually from an over extension of your leg. Doctors report that the most common scenario in which runners pull a hamstring is sprinting down hills at high speeds. A sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh that stops you in mid-stride, is probably a hamstring injury. At the time of injury, it may feel as if it snapped. Sharp pain and swelling can be accompanied by severe bruising. The best way to treat a pulled hamstring is to apply an ice pack to the hamstring and taking a anti-inflammatory. When you are ready to run again make sure you stretch before and after you run. Also start off slow and run on flat surfaces until the injury is healed completely. Hamstring muscles are prone to re injury so it is important to be smart about. Hamstring muscles are a runners most important muscle to warm up.

Stretches

• Sit with your injured leg straight and your other leg bent. With your back straight and your head up, slowly lean forward at your waist. You should feel the stretch along the underside of your thigh. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat the stretch a few times.
• Stand with you feet shoulder width apart and bend over and put your hands on your knees. Turn your feet slightly out to the sides and maintain weight in your big toe and outside heel. With your hands externally rotate your thighs and press out with your knees. Keep your back straight and maintain the groove in your back. From this position raise your butt up and back while rotating the pelvis forward and maintaining a flat back without losing the groove. You will feel the stretch in the hamstring.