What Is a Hamstring Injury?
The muscles that run down from the back of the legs and thighs to the knees are said to be hamstring muscles. The group of muscles contains the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. When these muscles stretch too far and tear it is said hamstring injuries. Its important function is that it helps a person to bend their knees and extend their hip. Hamstring injuries vary in their severity from mild to severe. The treatment for hamstring injury depends on its severity. Hamstring injury is a common sports injury that occurs in sports persons who are involved in sprinting, kicking, and other high-speed movements.
What Are the Causes of Hamstring Injury?
Muscle overload is the most common cause of hamstring injury. The other causes include:
- Muscle fatigue due to overexertion.
- Lack of warm-up activities.
- Previous hamstring injury.
- Injury due to direct blow to the thighs.
- Improper pre-conditioning program.
What Are the Symptoms of Hamstring Injury?
The symptoms of hamstring injury depend on their severity. The severity ranges from:
Grade 1: Mild Muscle Strain - The pain will be sudden and will be radiating to the back of the thighs. It will not affect the strength of the muscle but the person will not be able to move their legs.
Grade 2: Partial Muscle Tear - The symptoms are more painful than mild strain. There can be bruising, swelling, and loss of strength in the legs.
Grade 3: Complete Muscle Tear - The person may experience worse pain with tenderness, bruising, and swelling. There may be a popping sensation.
In addition, there may be muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, and bumps in the thigh area.
How Is Hamstring Muscle Injury Treated?
Hamstring injuries are treated by the following:
- Rest should be given to the injured leg. The person should avoid putting weight on the injured leg as much as they can.
- Ice should be applied to the injured area to reduce swelling and pain.
- Compression of the injured leg should be done using an elastic bandage to keep down the swelling. Adhesive elastic wrap bandage tapes are available to help in compression of the injured leg.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and swelling.
- Physiotherapy exercises to increase muscle strength. It includes stretching and strengthening exercises.
Physiotherapy for Hamstring Injuries - After the pain and swelling subside in the injured part, the doctors may recommend physical therapy.
Hamstring Stretching Exercises - Hamstring stretching exercises help in the rehabilitation process of hamstring injuries. The stretching exercises include:
1. Supine Hamstring Stretch -This exercise stretches the three muscles of the thighs. The instructions are:
- The person should lie flat with their back on the floor adjacent to the corner of the wall.
- Then the person should elevate one leg to rest the leg against the wall and the other leg should lie flat on the floor.
- The back side of the elevated leg should rest flat against the wall as much as it can without raising the hips. The toes should point towards the face and arms should be extended on each side of the body.
- Then the person should gently flex the foot of the extended leg downwards to the body with the toes.
- The position should be held for a few seconds and the same procedure should be repeated on the other side several times.
- A strap or band to aid the stretch can also be used.
2. Seated Toe Touches - This exercise works by stretching the hamstring muscles. The instructions are:
- The person should start in a seated position with both legs extended in front of the body and the toes should point toward the ceiling. The knees should be straight, not bent.
- Then the person should bend in front slowly from the hip and the hands should be slide towards the ankle. The person should try to maintain their back flat.
- The position should be held for a few seconds and the same procedure should be repeated on the other side.
3. Modified Hurdle's Stretch - This exercise stretches the hamstring muscles. The instructions are:
- The person should start in the seated position and extend one leg in front of the body with their toes facing toward the ceiling. The other leg's knee should be bent and the foot should be inside the extended leg's thigh.
- Then the person should slowly bend forward from the hip and the hands should slide towards the ankle. The person should try to maintain their back flat and aim to feel the stretch.
- The position should be held for a few seconds and the same procedure should be repeated for another leg.
Hamstring Strengthening Exercises - Hip extensor exercise and eccentric hamstring exercises help in hamstring rehabilitation. It also helps in preventing re-injury. The hamstring strengthening exercises include:
1. Hamstring Isometrics - This exercise helps to strengthen the hamstring muscles. The instructions are
- The person should sit on the chair and extend their injured leg slightly for over 90 degrees. Then they should dig their heel into the ground to contract the hamstring gently.
- The position should be held for a few seconds and repeated on another side.
2. Hamstring Curls - This exercise helps in strengthening the hamstring muscles. The instructions are
- The person should stand in front of the chair and bend their knees to pull their heel back towards their tailbone.
- This position should be held for a few seconds and repeated on another side.
- For persons working this exercise an the intermediate level, the therapist suggests the resistance band in which they can loop one end around their ankle and the opposite end around the leg of the chair before bending their knees.
3. Chair Walks - These strengthening exercises involve strengthening the group of muscles of the thighs (hamstring). The instructions are:
- The person should sit on an office chair that contains wheels on a flat surface. Then they should slowly extend their leg.
- Then the person should hold onto the chair and push their heel into the ground to pull their chair and body forward.
- The procedure should be repeated on the other side.
4. Single-Leg Floor Touches - The instructions are:
- The person should stand on one leg with a slightly bent knee. Then they should hinge at the hip and reach toward the ground slowly.
- Again they should return to the upright position. Their torso should be straight during the exercise.
- The same procedure should be repeated on the other side.
Conclusion:
Physical therapy for hamstring injuries helps athletes to reduce the risk of re-injury. Performing exercises for hamstring injury under the supervision of a physical therapist may be beneficial.
