Hamstring strains and tears are very common injuries in athletes. The most common way to injure the hamstring usually involves sprinting, kicking, jumping or a quick change of direction. It occurs when the hamstring muscle (at the back of the thigh) is tight and overstretched during movements that are quick and require a lot of power.
Having the right treatment is important for recovery after a hamstring tear or strain. Together with a Physiotherapist, individuals can undergo rehabilitation to help them work towards their goals and return to sport safely.
Here are a few forms of treatment that are used for rehabilitation and prevention of a hamstring strain.
1. Strengthen the hamstrings and surrounding muscles
Building strength in the hamstrings, glutes and core provides greater support during movement. Starting off with isometric exercises at the beginning of a strain or tear is a great way to settle pain. As pain and strength improve, hamstring exercises specific to your activity are a great way to help you return to your activity. Core work is also important, as this helps to stabilise and balance the body during activity.
2. Reduce hamstring tightness
Our Physiotherapists at Boost can use their highly trained soft tissue skills to help loosen tight muscles. In addition to this, foam rolling is a great way to relax a tight muscle. Stretching may not be recommended by your therapist in the initial phase, as this can help settle symptoms and allow healing.
When returning to sport or activity, a dynamic warm up that activates the hamstrings such as leg swings, leg sweeps, lunges and butt kicks increases blood flow to the muscles. This helps to loosen the muscles and prepare them for intense activity. This is essential to reduce the likelihood of strains.
3. Increase flexibility
Improving flexibility, especially in the hamstrings and hip flexors, can reduce strain during athletic movements such as running or kicking.
4. Gradual load progression
When receiving support from a Physiotherapist, you can work towards increasing the intensity of your load safely and slowly. This includes initially modifying the load by reducing aggravating activities. As pain and strength improve, gradually increasing workload allows the muscles to adapt and prevents the sudden stress that can lead to strains.
It is important to remember that even when the pain subsides, it is still crucial to build and maintain strength so there is less risk of this injury reoccurring. This will involve ongoing strengthening and flexibility work so that athletes can keep their hamstrings healthy and avoid injury.
Remember that prevention is key to a successful, uninterrupted season!
