Hematoma (I guess)

[OakLeaf]

Two weeks post crash, the road rash is healed, the bruising is almost gone, but I still have an big lump on the outside of my thigh. I hate it because it looks like an extra enormous saddlebag, out of proportion with the regular big one I have on the other side It's not really painful, except if I accidentally walk into something.

I'm using Traumeel homeopathic gel and drops. A bit of self-massage beyond rubbing the gel in two or three times a day. Electro-stim (the kind you can get OTC in the US, sold for muscle building but it's been really effective for me in the past for reducing swelling). Avoiding running and minimizing high-impact moves in my aerobics classes.

Any suggestions for getting the swelling to go down quicker? Hot compresses? Should I go ahead and do high-impact exercise to try and shake the fluid out?

TIA, you guys are terrific!

[amymisk]

How about see a doctor first?

As an RN, Ive seen hematomas turn really nasty. Ask your doctor for advice on what works.

[Zen]

That doesn't sound right. Have a look at this .
I agree with amy, you might should see a doctor.

[OakLeaf]

Well, my doctor's office is closed Fridays and I'm going out of town Monday morning. I left them a message and if they think I should, I'll have time to go to an urgent care center Tuesday or Wednesday.

I'm taking a rest day today anyway - it's been a long month, teaching at the gym five days a week, trying to ride two or three days, then the injury on top of that, and travel coming up.

The swelling does seem to be going down - slowly, but going down, and really I don't see a problem - no significant pain; full range of motion; no instability; minimal remaining visible ecchymosis; the swelling is plainly only in the soft tissue.

But you guys got my anxiety cranked so I'll do whatever my AP says. Thanks for your replies

[SouthernBelle]

When I had one on my arm, it took several months for the knot to completely go away. Made propping up on my left elbow a PITA.

[ChickWithBrains]

Hematomas can take weeks, sometimes months, to resolve. And in rare cases they can calcify and never go away completely. You're doing the right things, especially massage. You damaged the area, and as good as the body is at repairing itself, it's not a perfect system and not everything heals perfectly. Persistent hematomas are one example.

[jules]

the hematoma might need to be drained by your doctor. if you wait too long, the blood or whatever can get too hard. i'm not a doctor and i know i'm not using the right terminology - just going by what happened to my friend.

also her doctor told her that she could still work out as usual, which for her meant lots of running and biking.

[OakLeaf]

Thanks. It's a lot smaller and continuing to shrink slowly. I haven't been for a run since the crash, but for the last couple of weeks that's been because of other things, not pain.

[Kalidurga]

Thread resurrection!!

My question is: Is it safe to cycle with a hematoma on the inside of the thigh? I crashed this past weekend and my inner thigh apparently slammed against the saddle as I went down. It's gotten larger over the past couple of days and hurts a bit if I move that leg the wrong way or put my foot down with too much impact. As of this morning, I can see a smaller yellow/greenish bruise at the top, so it's obvious that the reddish/purple mass below it is all blood. I'm going to the dr next week to have the stitches in my elbow removed and the nurse said it should be fine to wait and have the dr look at my leg then.

In the meantime, I'd really like to get out for a gentle ride or two this weekend-- just an easy spin on a flat trail, no mashing up any hills or anything like that. What say ye knowledgeable ladies? Do you think it'll help, hurt, or not have any effect at all?

[alpinerabbit]

Sure, go for a ride -

except don't sue me if a blood clot moves and you get an embolism. But I guess it's not that large.

BTW
Last time I crashed hard on my MTB, I got a big tube of heparin gel to help dissolve the hematoma.

[Cataboo]

I went to urgent care a couple months back when I crashed my surly and had a big bump on my knee and then the bruise slid down my leg to the ankle and my entire calf was swollen. (that was like 3 weeks afterwards). I've still got a bump on my knee & it's numb around there.

Since I didn't have any pain other than the bruising, they didn't think there were any blood clots to worry about. So they just told me to elevate, wear a support stocking, and take 800 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours, I think it was.

They didn't actually do all that much but look at it and massage it a bit. I wore the support stocking for a couple of days, even while riding and the swelling/edema in my leg went away.

So I think you're fine riding - wear a support stocking or compression shorts if you're worried about fluid collection. Exercising will get a bit of blood flow to the area, which can help if you haven't knocked out drainage.

If it was your ankle or something, I'd say you could alternate hot water & ice baths to try to take the swelling out - but that's hard to do with a thigh.

[Kalidurga]

It doesn't seem to be very swollen, but it sure is vividly colorful. I posted this once over in my little tale of woe, but in case anyone wants to see it again...

I started using Arnicare gel and pills last night and have been trying to avoid anything impactful, and I might try elevating it tonight. I was hoping someone would say that cycling would help with circulation and drainage

[Cataboo]

I have a friend that swears by arnica gel, but she says you gotta put it on immediately after injury... And I usually keep cycling on as long as the bike is still capable of it (I think cycling another 15 hilly miles with my knee after crashing the surly didn't help). I have some gel that's arnica and ibuprofen that I use on stuff like that.

But I don't think you'll do any damage - just go easy and stop if it hurts.

[Biciclista]

the last time my DH fell, he got a bone bruise on his knee. the colors slowly fell down his leg and finally hit his foot where he has old scarring from a burn he suffered as a child. as the old blood hit that scarring, the scar area became very tender to the touch! he was pretty freaked out but a Dr said it was normal.

[Kalidurga]

And I usually keep cycling on as long as the bike is still capable of it (I think cycling another 15 hilly miles with my knee after crashing the surly didn't help). I have some gel that's arnica and ibuprofen that I use on stuff like that.

Yeah, I rode a little over 9 miles to get back to the car and it didn't bother me at the time. Where'd you get arnica with ibuprofen?