Hamstring Strain

Hamstring strains affect athletes of all kinds, including runners, skaters and soccer, football and basketball players. It is known to be common and painful. Hamstring is a group of three muscles that passes through the back of the thigh. They permit the bending of the leg at the knee.

During a hamstring strain, one or more of these muscles are overloaded. The muscles can even start to tear. It is possible to get a hamstring strain when you are into activities that involve a lot of running, jumping, or unexpected stopping and starting.

What are the Causes of a Hamstring Strain?

As mentioned above, the overload of the three muscles is the major causes of hamstring injury. Strains and tears occur when the muscles are lengthening as it contracts or shortens. They can also appear if the muscle is stretched beyond normal or is taxed too suddenly. Take as an example, when you sprint, it is a must for the hamstring muscles to contract several times as the leg extends with your stride. All this lengthening and loading creates an ideal environment for injuries. You can feel a sudden pain, popping or snapping feeling in the leg.

There are many risk factors for a hamstring strain:

• Doing exercise with tight muscle. Athletes with particularly tight muscles may be more likely to have injuries.
• Muscle imbalance, where some muscles are stronger than others.
• Poor conditioning. If the muscles are weak, they will be less able to cope with the demands of certain sports or exercises.
• Fatigue in the muscles because tired muscles do not absorb so much energy.

Individuals who participate in the list of sports given below are at high risk of having a hamstring strain:

• football
• soccer
• basketball
• tennis
• running and sprinting, and other track events
• dancing

Athletes who are older and whose main form of physical activity is walking are also at higher risk. The same goes for teenagers whose bodies continue to grow. Muscles and bones do not necessarily have to grow at the same rate. This means that any force or strain on the muscles, such as a jump, can make them susceptible to tearing.

What are the Symptoms of a Hamstring Strain?

The symptoms of a hamstring strain can be of different types and are divided into grades. Grade 1 or mild hamstring strain may not seem too serious, but grades 2 and 3, on the other hand, can be very painful. There are some cases where the symptoms of hamstring strain make an individual depend on equipment such as crutches and special knee supports. The common signs and symptoms of hamstring strain are listed below.

• Hamstring tenderness
• Bruising
• Sudden and severe pain during exercise
• A snapping or popping feeling
• Swelling
• Difficulty walking or standing

It may take you two to five days to recover from mild symptoms of hamstring. Serious injury will last for weeks or even the whole month before you start to feel better. There are cases where surgery may be needed for hamstring strains. In cases like this, a sports medicine or orthopedic specialist is recommended for the patient.

Hamstring Strain Treatment

Treatment for a Hamstring Strain requires restoring the circulation and blood flow to the affected structures in your hamstring. Pain is caused when swelling, inflammation and decreased circulation generate a blockage, which causes blood flow to be interrupted or slowed. Treatment for this issue requires breaking up the accumulated fluids in your hamstring to allow for improved healing and quicker recovery.

Products recommended for symptoms of swelling, redness, pain, and inflammation, and if coolness makes your pain feel better:

Ice Substitute Poultice

Bruise Relief Liniment

Muscle Therapy Massage Oil

Products recommended when swelling and inflammation are gone, but you still feel pain, stiffness, weakness, and/or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, and if heat makes your pain feel better:

Pain Relief Liniment

Muscle Therapy Massage Oil