Hamstring Injury Rehabilitation

Hamstring Injury Rehabilitation: Getting Past the Injury That Can Come Back 

It may happen as a sharp and sudden grab during a sprint; sometimes it is accompanied by an audible pop. Whether you are running or playing your favorite sports, the activity will be over before you even have time to process what actually happened. Though hamstring injuries are one of the most common injuries faced by sportspeople and athletes, they also have a slightly different reputation, i. e, once they happen, they may come back if one fails to address the underlying cause. Understanding why it happens is crucial because this knowledge holds up when you get back to the field after effective hamstring injury rehabilitation. 

What Is a Hamstring Injury?

A group of three muscles forms the hamstring. These muscles run behind the thigh bone and work together during movements like extending the hip and bending the knee. When we are involved in high-speed movements, the hamstring plays a demanding role in controlling the legs. The injury occurs when these muscles are stretched more than they are capable of tolerating, which may range from a Grade I injury involving a small number of muscle fibres to a Grade III injury, which may result in a complete tear of the muscle. The injury may occur in the muscles or in the tendon where it connects with the pelvis. 

Hamstrings Get Injured In Two Different Ways

The injury may happen in different ways, and these ways lead to different issues which also influence rehabilitation. A more common pattern of injury occurs during high-speed running. It may strike when the leg is swinging forward, and the hamstring is working hard to decelerate the leg before the foot lands. The biceps femoris is affected in this sprinting-type hamstring injury. 

The other type of injury happens when the hamstring is stretched excessively during a slide tackle, extended lunge, or high kick. In such cases, a part of the muscle that is closer to where it attaches to the sit bone is affected. This type of hamstring injury may sound similarly alarming, but some of these injuries may take longer to heal as compared to the sprinting-type hamstring injury. 

Why It Happens?

While sprinting, when the leg swings forward, the hamstring has to perform two tasks in a split second, i.e., to stretch out and also pull hard so that the leg can be slowed down before the foot lands on the ground. This is a common point when sprint injuries occur. Since the movement asks the muscles for a lot more at the same time, this situation may combine with other factors to elevate the risk of hamstring injury. 

When you are tired, things get even more difficult because muscles are not that good at tolerating demands in this state. Insufficient warm-up before intense training, or sprinting faster than what your body is ready to perform, may contribute to the risk of getting such an injury. Stretching-type injuries become more likely when the hamstring muscles are stretched beyond their limits. 

Common Symptoms

A sharp pain at the back of the thigh that happens during the movement that triggers it, which is sometimes accompanied by a popping or snapping sound. Bruising may develop in the next day or two, and this may spread towards the back of the knee. The presence of tenderness, pain while stretching, and weakness in bending the knee complete the picture of a hamstring injury. When the injury is even more severe, especially the ones that occur near the sit bone make walking considerably difficult and results in a visible gap in the muscle. 

Who Is At Risk?

The risk of this injury is noticeably higher in athletes who are involved in activities like sprinting, kicking, football, and track. Sometimes, a previous injury may become a risk factor, especially when high-intensity tolerance and sports-specific functions of muscles have not recovered completely. As a result, these people are at an elevated risk of straining these muscles if they ask more from them. Increasing age can put one at more risk given the way muscles lose their elasticity with time. 

When to Seek Prompt Medical Attention

In many cases, hamstring injuries are considerably uncomfortable, but they usually don’t require emergency care. But there can be some signs that demand medical assessment rather than home care: 

• Significant swelling, bruising, and a palpable gap in the muscle, which may indicate a severe tear in the muscle
• Inability to bear weight on the affected leg
• Numbness or tingling sensation extending down the leg after the injury. A sciatic nerve runs close to the upper hamstring, and it may be affected in significant injuries, which demands proper assessment
• Symptoms that worsen even during reduced activity

Diagnosis

Diagnosis starts with properly looking into the way the injury happened, whether it resulted from sprinting or stretching motions. Knowing the way the injury occurred helps in determining which part of the hamstring has been involved in the injury. A physical exam is performed to check for tenderness, flexibility, and strength in order to get a clear idea about the severity of the issue. When they suspect a significant tear or tendon avulsion, imaging is used to take a look at the underlying condition. Tailoring rehabilitation precisely depends on a thorough assessment. 

How Physiotherapy Helps

Physiotherapy takes into account the way hamstring injuries occur. Taking a closer look at such injuries gives the idea that it occurs not only due to a lack of raw strength in the muscles but also due to the failure of muscle control during fast and unpredictable whole-body movements, along with other factors. So, a hamstring that tests well in a clinic may fail to meet the demands placed on it during intense activities. 

Effective hamstring injury rehabilitation works on strengthening the muscle, particularly in the lengthened position, a position when the injury is most likely to happen. In addition, physiotherapy also focuses on retraining the control and coordination that is needed during intense movements rather than working around alleviating discomfort only. 

Hamstring Injury Rehabilitation at Painflame Clinic

Here at Painflame Clinic, we start the treatment by properly understanding the type of hamstring injury, like sprint-type or stretch-type, along with the precise location of the injury and its severity. Based on all these factors, along with the goals of the individual, a tailored treatment plan is made. Initially, we work on protecting the injured tissue, after which pain-free movements are gradually reintroduced. Progressive strengthening works by helping the hamstring generate force while it is lengthened, a demand that commonly leads to injury during sprints. 

Once the strength returns, the training starts working on agility, trunk stability work, and sprint mechanics that aim to address movement controls to reduce the risk of reinjury. Our sports injury rehabilitation programme adjusts the pace and progress in order to help athletes return to their sports when the muscles gain the ability to tolerate intense load. 

Recovery Timeline

Recovery is considerably different based on the severity and location of the injury. Some sprinting-type injuries of Grade I may show improvement with a few weeks of consistent rehabilitation. After this period, the discomfort is minimised substantially, but the muscles take more time to rebuild their full strength because this is a gradual process. Injuries involving tendons may demand notably longer time to heal as compared to the other type. When the injury is Grade III or involves severe structural damage, rehabilitation may take several months and can also require surgery in some rare cases. 

Reducing the Risk of Reinjuring the Hamstring

A previous hamstring injury may elevate the risk of getting one in the future. Reducing the likelihood of getting such injuries requires genuine attention while performing intense activities. Continuing with the eccentric strengthening exercises beyond completion of formal rehabilitation matters. The Nordic hamstring exercise is one of the most recognised ways to help in reducing the first-time and repeated hamstring injuries.