Why are Hamstring Tears Tricky?

Hamstring injuries are common among high speed and kicking activities such as runners, footballers and martial arts.

The hamstring muscles run down the back of the leg from the pelvis to the back of your knee. An injury can range from minor strains to total rupture of the muscle. The four muscles that make up the hamstrings are the semitendinosus and semimembranosus (medially) and the biceps femoris - long and short head (laterally).

A sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh that may stop you mid-stride characterizes a hamstring injury. After such an injury, the knee may not extend more than 30 to 40 degrees short of straight without intense pain.

Excessive stretching (tearing) of muscle fibres and soft tissues causes sprains and strains.

Hamstring strains are classified as 1st (mild), 2nd (moderate), or 3rd (severe) degree strains depending on the severity.

Beware of Referred Pain!

Due to the sciatic nerve passing through the hamstrings group, a lower back injury or some other injury that pinches the sciatic nerve can replicate the symptoms.

It is therefore vital that you seek a professional diagnosis from an expert in sports and spinal injuries. We have seen countless cases of repeat tears or stubborn injury recovery due to an inaccurate diagnosis and its subsequent poor treatment.

With the correct diagnosis and effective rehabilitation, most hamstring injuries will recover in two to three weeks. Incorrrect diagnosis or poor rehabilitation not only delays your recovery by weeks or months, but also makes you more vulnerable to recurrent hamstring strains. Don't let that happen to you.

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Common Causes of Hamstring Injuries

Some of the more common reasons for hamstring injuries are:

Poor flexibility.
Poor muscle strength.
Muscle imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups.
Muscle imbalance between the gluteals and abdominal core stability muscle groups.
Doing too much, too soon or pushing beyond your limits.
Muscle fatigue that leads to over exertion
Leg Length Differences. A shorter leg may have tighter hamstrings that are more likely to pull.
Improper or no warm-up.
History of hamstring injury.

How to Prevent Hamstring Injuries

Warm up thoroughly. This is probably the most important muscle to warm-up and stretch before a workout due to huge forces placed upon it when running or kicking.
Stretching after the workout may be helpful.
Other ways to prevent injury are to avoid doing too much, too soon, avoid drastic increases in intensity or duration, and take it easy if you are fatigued.

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Common Treatments for Hamstring Injury

Treatment may depend upon the severity of the injury. In general, the following tips are used for most hamstring muscle strains. Seek a professional opinion to get an accurate diagnosis, encourage optimal healing and quickly return to sport with the least chance of re-injury.