Hamstring Injuries
Hamstring injuries are one of the most common injuries among athletes, especially those who participate in sports that involve sprinting, jumping, and sudden changes in direction.
Hamstring injuries can also occur in people who are not athletes, but who are active and participate in activities such as hiking and gardening.
Physio Performance will help diagnose your hamstring injury and guide you through a treatment programme to get you back to your best.
Types of Hamstring Injuries
Hamstring injuries are caused by a strain or tear of the hamstring muscles, which are located at the back of the thigh.
There are three hamstring muscles: the biceps femoris, the semimembranosus, and the semitendinosus.
These muscles work together to flex the knee and extend the hip.
During sprinting, your hamstrings produce up to 9 times your body weight in force!
There are three different grades of hamstring injuries:
- Grade 1: This is the mildest type of hamstring injury, and involves a small tear or strain of the muscle fibres. Grade 1 injuries typically heal within 3-6 weeks.
- Grade 2: This is a more severe type of hamstring injury, and involves a larger tear or strain of the muscle fibres. Grade 2 injuries typically heal within 8-12 weeks.
- Grade 3: This is the most severe type of hamstring injury, and involves a complete tear of the hamstring muscle. Grade 3 injuries typically require surgery to repair.
Book Expert Hamstring Assessment And Treatment
Symptoms of hamstring injuries
The symptoms of a hamstring injury can vary depending on the severity of the injury. Some common symptoms include:
- Pain
- Stiffness or tightness
- Weakness
- Swelling
- Bruising
People with hamstring injuries start to feel much better after a week.
They then return to sports and re-injure the muscle again.
We hear this story often and it is because the torn muscle requires time to heal along side a rehabilitation programme.
Treatment for hamstring injuries
Treatment for hamstring injuries is essential to speed up recovery, regain strength and flexibility.
Particularly if you are planning on returning to sport.
It is even more important in sports that involve running, sprinting and kicking.
A rehabilitation programme under the guidance of a physiotherapist will ensure you return as quickly as possible and reduce the risk of getting injured again.
Prevention of hamstring injuries
There are a number of things you can do to prevent hamstring injuries, including:
- Maintain adequate strength and flexibility in the muscles
- Improve your sprinting technique
- If your sport involves high speed running, then maintain a high load of sprinting throughout the season
At our Ormeau Rd and Newforge Clinics we provide a range of treatments including physiotherapy, sports massage, acupuncture and dry needling. We treat many common conditions including lower back pain, shoulder injuries, neck injuries and knee injuries.
