injury, sometimes referred
to as a pulled hamstring, is extremely common in sports. It can often
be a nagging injury, with a very high recurrence rate among athletes.
causes a hamstring strain? What can you do to prevent it? Read on to
find out more...
muscles are found on the back of the thigh, just below the hips. There
are four hamstring muscles, the semitendinosus
all originate off of the ischial tuberosity and extend into the knee.
The biceps femoris attaches on the lateral side of the leg, while the
semitendinosus and semimembranosus attach on the medial side.
hamstrings are responsible for flexing the knee, and also help extend
the hip. They also play a role in stabilizing the knee during
What Causes a
hamstring injuries occur during an explosive movement, such as taking
off to run or quickly changing directions. This explosive contraction of
the muscles overloads the tissues, and the stress is too much, causing
the fibers to tear.
The injury is usually graded on
a scale of 1-3, just like all muscle strains
with 1 being the
least severe, and 3 being the worst.
many factors that will contribute to hamstring injury, including flexibility
, proper mechanics,
strength balances, and sports activities.
Learn more about a pulled hamstring
and the major causes and treatments.
with most sports injuries, treating a hamstring strain initially
involves the R.I.C.E. principles
. This will
help to reduce pain and swelling, and protect the injured muscle.
the initial inflammation period, you can usually start gentle
stretching to help reduce motion loss and to improve the muscle
function. However, you do not want to stretch to the point of extreme
As the muscle begins to heal, it fills in
the tear with
scar tissue. This new tissue is not as elastic or strong as the
original fibers, and may be one of the reasons that hamstring strains
are often recurrent injuries. This scar tissue is more susceptible to
injury than the original tissue.
important after a hamstring strain, as you must restore both normal
range of motion as well as strength. And it is important to make sure
that you limit scar formation. This can only be done by a trained
rehabilitation professional, and often involves massage and soft tissue
It is also important to consider any
factors that may have led to the injury in the first place. Were the
hamstrings very tight, or are there mobility issues in the hips or low
back. These can all be factors that contribute to injury, and unless
they are addressed, the hamstring injury will most likely occur again.
Learn more about Hamstring Treatment and Rehab
hamstring injury can be a challenging task, especially if you have
already suffered a previous hamstring strain. A proper warm up and
will help to
reduce your likelihood for injury.
strengthening of the muscles, and making sure they are balanced with
the quadriceps is also important. Mobility of the hips and low back
should also be addressed to help decrease the stress on the hamstring
A Complete Prevention and Treatment Program
Hamstring injuries have a tendency to become chronic. This is because the rehabilitation
often fails to address the underlying causes of the injury.
In order to completely recover from a hamstring injury, you must address the mobility,
flexibility, balance, and strength issues that led to your injury. Otherwise, you are
doomed to suffer a recurrence.
Hamstring Solutions is a complete program designed to put your body back into balance,
and to address all of the underlying mobility, flexibility, balance and strength deficits.
This program not only will treat your hamstring injury and reduce your risks for re-injury,
it will also enhance your sports performance. A balanced body is a stronger body, and
Hamstring Solutions can give you both!
injury is very common, and
can become a nagging problem if it isn't treated correctly. Rest, ice,
compression, and elevation are important initially, and some type of
rehabilitation to restore flexibility, strength, and endurance is
essential. Proper warm up and stretching before activities, as well as
making sure you have good muscle balance and mobility can help prevent
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