What is a hamstring injury?
A pulled hamstring, commonly known as a strain or tear of the hamstring, occurs when the trio of muscles and tendons located at the back of the thigh are pushed beyond their regular range of motion, resulting in sudden and intense discomfort.
The knee and hip joints are linked to the hamstring muscles and tendons located at the back of the thigh. The performance of activities such as running, jumping, and lunging depends heavily on the hamstring. In sports that involve frequent sprinting and abrupt changes in direction, occurrences of pulled hamstrings are not uncommon.
The most effective way to treat a hamstring injury is typically to rest the affected area. Failure to allow the hamstring sufficient time to heal could result in it being injured again.
Grades of hamstring injuries
There are three different levels of severity that hamstring injuries can fall into.
- Grade 1: A minor hamstring strain
- Grade 2: A partial hamstring tear
- Grade 3: A fully torn hamstring
What are hamstring injury symptoms?
Pain that starts immediately is an indicator of a strained hamstring. Typically, the pain level is higher when the injury is more severe. A sudden hamstring tear can be accompanied by a popping sensation. Besides radiating hamstring pain, other signs of a pulled hamstring are:
- Swelling on the back of the thigh
- Tenderness to the touch
- Hamstring bruising
- Leg weakness and restricted mobility
- Muscle stiffness or spasms
What are the causes of hamstring injuries?
Overextending the hamstring can result in injuring it, and both restricted muscle flexibility and intense physical activity can contribute to this injury.
In sports where there are frequent and sudden changes in direction and short bursts of sprinting, such as soccer, basketball, football, and tennis, hamstring injuries are a frequent occurrence. These movements put a considerable strain on the hamstrings and can cause overstretching, which significantly elevates the likelihood of an injury.
When a hamstring muscle is tight and lacks flexibility, its range of motion is limited and there is an increased risk of the muscle being overstretched during physical activities, which can result in a hamstring strain.
Additional factors that increase the risk of experiencing a hamstring injury are:
- Returning to activity before a hamstring injury has fully healed
- A muscle imbalance when the quadriceps are much stronger than the hamstring
- Fatigue that leaves hamstring muscles vulnerable
- Not warming up before activity or being out of shape for the chosen activity
- A hard impact to the muscle
How to diagnose a pulled hamstring
The healthcare provider assesses for any swelling and sensitivity on the posterior side of the thigh during the physical examination. The location and intensity of the pain can provide valuable insight into the extent of the injury.
By changing the position of the affected leg, a healthcare provider can identify the exact muscle that is injured as well as assess whether there is any harm to tendons or ligaments.
Imaging tests
Hamstring injuries of a severe nature can result in muscle tearing or detachment from either the pelvis or shinbone. Subsequently, bone fragments may separate from the main bone, culminating in an avulsion fracture. Detecting avulsion fractures will require X-ray imaging, while muscle and tendon tears can be viewed via ultrasound and MRI scans.
Hamstring injury treatment
The initial and essential measure in treating a hamstring injury is to alleviate stress from the affected area. It is crucial to rest and minimize movements that require the leg to bend or move excessively. Moreover, the use of crutches may be advised to relieve pressure on the hamstring.
Further therapy for a hamstring ailment comprises:
- Limiting activities to reduce the stress put on the hamstring
- Icing the hamstring to reduce swelling
- Compressing the injured area to help limit swelling
- Taking anti-inflammatory medication to decrease pain and swelling
- Strengthening and stretching the hamstring with physical therapy
Physical therapy
A medical professional or a physical therapist can demonstrate mild stretching and strengthening exercises for your hamstrings. Once the pain and swelling have subsided, they can guide you through exercises that enhance your muscle strength.
Surgery
Through physical therapy and time, the majority of hamstring injuries that entail a partial tear in the muscles are capable of healing. When the muscle has become detached from either the pelvis or shinbone, orthopedic surgeons have the option to reattach it. Additionally, severe tears in the muscle can also be mended.
Preventing hamstring injuries
In order to avoid hamstring injuries among athletes, it is necessary to:
- A routine of strengthening exercises
- Flexibility exercises to increase hamstring mobility
- Proper warm-up and cool-down before and after activity
- Proper conditioning to ease into new exercises
Lifestyle and home remedies
If you want to take care of a minor hamstring injury on your own, consider using the R.I.C.E. method:
- Rest. Take a break to rest your hamstring muscles and allow the damaged tissues to repair. Avoid any activity that causes pain, swelling or discomfort. If you have more than a minor muscle strain, your health care provider may recommend that you use crutches to keep your weight off the injured leg.
- Ice. Ice the area as soon after the injury as you can. For the first few days after the injury, keep an ice pack on the injured area for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours while you’re awake. Cold reduces pain and swelling. It may also slow bleeding if there’s a tear. If you have vascular disease, diabetes or can’t feel much in your leg, talk with your care provider before icing.
- Compression. Wrap your leg with an elastic bandage until the swelling goes down. Be careful not to wrap too tightly. Begin wrapping at the end farthest from your heart. Loosen the bandage if the pain increases, the area becomes numb or swelling occurs below the wrapped area.
- Elevation. Sit or lie back with your leg raised while resting. If possible, raise your leg higher than your heart.
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) are potential remedies. Once a few days have passed, carefully start utilizing the wounded leg. Progressively, the leg’s capacity to endure your body weight and your ability to move without discomfort will improve.
Preparing for your appointment
Initially, it is recommended that you discuss with your personal healthcare professional. You could then be directed to a specialist who specializes in sports medicine or orthopedic surgery.
What you can do
Compile a list which comprises of:
- Complete information about your symptoms and when they began.
- Information about medical problems you’ve had.
- All the medicines and supplements you take, including doses.
- Questions you want to ask the care provider.
What to expect from your doctor
Some of the following questions may be asked by your care provider.
- When did the injury occur and how did it happen?
- Did you feel a popping or tearing sensation?
- Do any movements or positions make the pain better or worse?
