What is a hamstring strain? A hamstring isn’t a single string but actually 4 muscles running down the back of your thigh that allow you to bend at your knee. When you strain your hamstring one or more of these muscles gets overloaded. The muscles might even start to tear.
How it might happen?
You’re likely to get a hamstring strain during activities that involve a lot of running and jumping or sudden starting and stopping. So if you’re an athlete of any kind, you are at risk of getting a hamstring strain. Things that could make it more likely are not warming up before exercising, having tight quads when you tighten the hamstrings, and having weak glutes.
Symptoms and how it feels.
Mild hamstrings may not hurt that much, but a severe …show more content…
Take the stretch as far as you can comfortably and hold relaxing into the stretch. Aim to stretch forward from the hip rather than the shoulders. A gentle stretch should be felt at the back of the leg but it should not be painful. Perform 3 set of 10 seconds once or twice a day. The aim is to get a little bit of elasticity to the healing tissue, not increase flexibility. This can also be done sitting down.
● Begin gentle dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching involves gently swinging the leg into a stretched position. Ensure the leg is relaxed at all times and the stretch is not forced. Perform 3 x 10 reps gently swinging the straight leg as high as is comfortable. It may help to put the free hand over the swinging leg as a target and to possibly trick the brain into thinking it is safe to swing the leg.
● Dynamic walks can begin which involve the athlete walking forwards whilst kicking the straight leg up in front each step to get a dynamic stretch in the muscle. The leg swings should be controlled and not forced, always within the pain free range of motion. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions once a day. This exercise should be done for at least 2 days without any pain. The athlete has completed all hamstring stretching stages when this exercise and others previously done are pain free with equal flexibility in both
How it might happen?
You’re likely to get a hamstring strain during activities that involve a lot of running and jumping or sudden starting and stopping. So if you’re an athlete of any kind, you are at risk of getting a hamstring strain. Things that could make it more likely are not warming up before exercising, having tight quads when you tighten the hamstrings, and having weak glutes.
Symptoms and how it feels.
Mild hamstrings may not hurt that much, but a severe …show more content…
Take the stretch as far as you can comfortably and hold relaxing into the stretch. Aim to stretch forward from the hip rather than the shoulders. A gentle stretch should be felt at the back of the leg but it should not be painful. Perform 3 set of 10 seconds once or twice a day. The aim is to get a little bit of elasticity to the healing tissue, not increase flexibility. This can also be done sitting down.
● Begin gentle dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching involves gently swinging the leg into a stretched position. Ensure the leg is relaxed at all times and the stretch is not forced. Perform 3 x 10 reps gently swinging the straight leg as high as is comfortable. It may help to put the free hand over the swinging leg as a target and to possibly trick the brain into thinking it is safe to swing the leg.
● Dynamic walks can begin which involve the athlete walking forwards whilst kicking the straight leg up in front each step to get a dynamic stretch in the muscle. The leg swings should be controlled and not forced, always within the pain free range of motion. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions once a day. This exercise should be done for at least 2 days without any pain. The athlete has completed all hamstring stretching stages when this exercise and others previously done are pain free with equal flexibility in both