While playing soccer, Frank felt a sharp pain at the back of his left leg as he attempted to outdo an opposing player in retrieving a loose ball. He collapsed and when he tried to get up and walk, he fell down once more and required assistance to leave the field.
The following day, Frank visited a doctor who inquired about his condition, inspected his leg, and diagnosed him with a grade 2 strain which is a partial muscle tear of one of the muscles in his hamstring.
What Is a Hamstring Strain?
The three muscles that run from the thigh to the knee at the back of your leg, specifically the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus, work together to enable knee bending and hip extension and are collectively referred to as the hamstring. If any of these muscles gets overextended and starts to tear, it results in a hamstring strain, also known as a pulled hamstring.
Hamstring strains range from mild cases with minimal pain and a brief healing period to severe instances that require weeks of crutches and surgical intervention.
What Are the Symptoms of a Hamstring Strain?
If you happen to pull your hamstring while jogging, you’ll recognize it right away. You’ll experience an intense ache and maybe even a sound of tearing at the rear of your thigh. You won’t be capable of persisting with your run and you could stumble.
Additional indicators of a hamstring strain consist of:
- pain in the back of your thigh when you bend or straighten your leg
- tenderness, swelling, and bruising in the back of the thigh
- weakness in your leg that lasts for a long time after the injury
How Is a Hamstring Strain Diagnosed?
On the sidelines, a trainer or physical therapist may diagnose a hamstring strain, while a doctor’s examination is also common. During the examination, the doctor will inquire about the cause of the injury and the level of pain experienced while examining the affected leg.
The test will assist in determining the level of strain you are experiencing.
- Grade 1; this is a mild strain. You may experience some pain when you use your leg, but it will be minor and there will be minimal swelling.
- Grade 2; this is a partial tear of one or more of the hamstring muscles. This may cause you to limp when you walk and feel some pain during activity. You might see some swelling and bruising, and you might not be able to straighten your leg all the way.
- Grade 3; this is a complete tear of one or more of the hamstring muscles. You’ll feel pain and not be able to straighten your leg all the way, and you’ll notice swelling right away. Walking will be very difficult and may require crutches.
What Causes a Hamstring Strain?
Typically, a strain of the hamstring muscle develops due to overexertion; for instance, when running and reaching the full extension of the leg right before the foot lands on the ground. Consequently, when the foot lands and sustains the entire body weight, the muscles are prone to overstretching that might cause them to tear.
Individuals who engage in specific activities such as track and field, soccer, football, lacrosse, basketball, and dance are more susceptible to experiencing hamstring strains. These injuries are also prevalent among teenagers experiencing a growth spurt, as their leg bones may outgrow their muscles, causing tightness and a greater likelihood of excessive stretching.
Several things are known to commonly cause a hamstring strain such as:
- Not warming up properly before exercising. Tight muscles are much more likely to strain than muscles that are kept strong and flexible.
- Being out of shape or overdoing it. Weak muscles are less able to handle the stress of exercise, and muscles that are tired lose some of their ability to absorb energy, making them more likely to get injured.
- An imbalance in the size of your leg muscles. The quadriceps, the muscles at the front of your legs, is often larger and more powerful than your hamstring muscles. When you do an activity that involves running, the hamstring muscles can get tired more quickly than the quadriceps, putting them at greater risk of a strain.
- Poor technique. If you don’t have a good running technique, it can increase the stress on your hamstring muscles.
- Returning to activities too quickly after an injury. Hamstring strains need plenty of time and rest to heal completely. Trying to come back from a strain too soon will make you more likely to injure your hamstring again.
Hamstring Strain Rehabilitation Exercises
As you perform the standing hamstring stretch, ensure that you experience only moderate discomfort at the rear of your thigh, without any sharp pain. You may commence gently stretching your hamstring immediately.
Standing hamstring stretch:
To stretch your injured leg, put your heel on a stool that is approximately 15 inches tall and keep your knee straight. Lean forward from the hips until you experience a gentle stretching sensation in the back of your thigh. Be careful not to hunch your shoulders or bend at the waist, as this will stretch your lower back instead of your leg. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat the exercise three times.
After the standing hamstring stretch has become easier, you can do the standing calf stretch. You should stretch your calf muscle because it attaches near where your hamstring ends using the standing calf stretch.
Hamstring stretch on wall:
Assume a supine position with your derriere near an entrance, and stretch both legs straight along the ground. Elevate one leg and lean it against the wall adjacent to the door frame. The other one must protrude through the gateway. You will experience a pull in the rear of your thigh. Sustain this stance for 15 to 30 seconds. Iterate this thrice, and subsequently switch legs and redo the workout.
Standing calf stretch:
Stand in front of a wall and place your hands on it at eye level. Keep one leg behind you with the heel on the ground and the other leg in front. Turn the back foot inward slightly, like you’re pigeon-toed, and gradually lean into the wall until you feel the muscles in the back of your calf stretch. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, repeated three times. Then switch leg positions and repeat the exercise three times. Repeat the exercise multiple times a day.
When the pain is gone, start strengthening your hamstrings using the following exercises.
Prone knee bend:
Assume a prone position and straighten your legs behind you. Bring your heel towards your buttocks by bending your knee and hold for a duration of 5 seconds. Afterwards, relax and place your foot back on the ground. Perform 10 repetitions for 3 sets. Increase intensity gradually by attaching weights to your ankle.
Prone hip extension:
Assume a prone position with extended legs. Contract the buttock and thigh muscles of the affected limb and elevate it approximately 8 inches away from the ground. Ensure the knee remains straight and sustain for 5 seconds. Then slowly lower the leg and unwind. Perform 10 repetitions for 3 sets.
Resisted hamstring curl:
Take a seat in a chair that is positioned around 3 feet away from a door. Take the tubing and link one end around your ankle, securing it with a knot on the other end. Close the door with the knotted end of the tubing. Bend your knee, slide your foot along the ground, and move it back below the chair to extend the tubing. Gradually bring your foot forward again. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
You can challenge yourself by moving the chair farther away from the door and increasing the resistance of the tubing.
Chair lift:
Assume a supine position and position your heels on the chair’s top surface. Gradually lift both hips above the floor. Maintain the position for 2 seconds and lower gradually. Execute 3 repetitions of 15 each.
Once you have developed more strength in your hamstrings and achieved greater stability in your leg, you can commence enhancing the quadriceps (the muscles located at the front of the thigh) through lunge exercises.
Lunge:
Begin by standing up and moving your right leg forward in a big step. Lower your left knee toward the ground and fold your right leg. Return to the initial position. Do the same movement again, except this time, move forward with your left leg and lower your right leg. Repeat this exercise ten times on each side for three sets.
