A guide to hamstring injuries and how to avoid them

The hamstring or hamstrings is a group of three muscles  (semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris) on the back of the thigh which play a key role in bending the knee and extending the hip. 

What is a hamstring injury?

Symptoms of a hamstring strain include a sudden sharp pain at the back of the thigh.

A strain means some of the fibres within the muscle have been disrupted, high grade strains can also involve a full or partial rupture of the tendon. Acute or sudden hamstring strains usually happen in two ways, either sprinting-related or stretch-related for example a slide tackle. 

Sprinting-related hamstring injuries often feel worse but recover more quickly. In contrast, stretch-related hamstring strains can take longer to heal as the injury is more likely to affect the tendon where blood flow is lower. 

Management and Prognosis

Immediate first aid consists of the PRICE principles of protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation and will usually last 3 to 4 days depending on severity. The three key factors that must be normalised before returning to sport should be:

• Full range of movement
• No more tenderness to the touch
• Pain-free strength testing.

All of these can be managed and monitored by a physiotherapist with a graded program. Return to sport can take from 2 to 8 weeks depending on the severity of the strain. Proper management at the time of injury is essential as one of the biggest risks for hamstring injuries is a previous one.

If you’re experiencing unusual tightness or discomfort in your hamstrings, don’t wait until it’s too late. Hamstring injury can be avoided with proactive treatment and stretching – make an appointment with us today to evaluate your options.