A minor strain will typically heal within weeks when properly treated, so an injury that lingers longer should be a red flag. Straining your hamstring, like any other muscle, is the result of overextending that muscle, and is one of the most common injuries for any athlete. Many times this happens as a result of overuse, landing or moving awkwardly, or failing to stretch properly.
Starting a workout without doing warm-up exercise or stretching is a sure way to cause a strain, so save yourself the trouble and take a few minutes to get your body ready for your workout. This is your run of the mill strain that many of us have experienced.
A hamstring strain of this degree is going to exhibit tenderness, tightness, and possibly some swelling. Because of the swelling, limited mobility is also not uncommon. A 1 st degree strain is classified as a mild overstretching of a muscle. Again, more serious, but a second degree strain is only minor tearing and you may experience tightness with muscle spasms, inflammation, and limited mobility.
The most serious strain is a 3 rd degree, and is a severe tear or rupture of the muscle or tendon. A hamstring strain in this severity requires a medical professional to treat it, and has the potential to require surgery or a cast to immobilize the injury.
So now that we know exactly what a hamstring strain is and the different severities, we can start to talk about the best ways to recover from one and get you back on track. Thankfully, a hamstring strain is typically a pretty minor injury that can be treated with handily available remedies.
As with any injury, the number one thing you want to do immediately is get pressure off the injury as soon as possible. With a strain, you have a muscle injury, and expanding and contracting those muscles will only further aggravate the hamstring. Sit back, elevate the injured leg, and turn on a good movie. By elevating your leg closer to or even above the level of your heart, the swelling can be minimized as blood and other inflammatory substances drain out of the area.
It could save you days or even weeks of recovery time. As the small muscle fiber tears heal, the muscle will come back strong but much tighter than before. Because a strain is an overstretching of the muscle, tight muscles means a muscle is more likely to be strained again. By stretching lightly we are setting ourselves up to be less likely to re-aggravate the injury during the healing process. Who would have thought, but yes, there are things we can eat to help speed up the recovery process.
Food sources or supplements containing turmeric derivatives and coenzyme Q10 can be major assets in helping to soothe pain and inflammation to help make hamstring healing just a little easier. As we identified above, reduction of inflammation is one of the major goals of recovery. Inflammation in our muscles can sometimes prevent repair cells from being able to do their job quickly and effectively.
Portable muscle stim unit 4. Neoprene sleeve this was another lifesaver 5. BCAA's branch chain amino acids I had some and figured it couldn't hurt so I started to take a full dose every day.
I could have easily gone out and push really hard in that first game and the blown my hamstring. But I was smart enough to realize that if I played within my abilities I could help the team that game and live to fight another day. I guess that is part of becoming a "mature athlete". So all you athletes need to drink up, water that is especially during the summer months ]. As is the case with a lot of injuries; they kind of sneak up on you when you least expect it.
My case was no different I had been training hard and was in good condition; and one small oversight lead to injury. I hope all the readers out there have an injury-free summer; however if you don't I just wanted to share few things that worked for me and to let you know that you can be down but it still your decision to be to be out.
Create new account Request new password. United States Australian Football League. You are here Home » Development » Fitness. Just how dedicated to this treatment regimen? Resting a pulled hamstring is the key to successful treatment.
As a general guide, if you have a hamstring strain, you can do activities that do not aggravate your recent injury. Rest until you are pain-free giving time for the injured hamstring muscle to heal.
Resting insufficiently may prolong your recovery. The following are common treatments used for hamstring injuries:. Allowing time for the muscle to rest is the first step in the treatment of most hamstring injuries. Rest allows the swelling to subside and inflammation to settle down. In order to sufficiently rest the muscle, sometimes crutches are needed to relieve the stress of the muscle. Stretching can begin soon after the injury, but must not be done aggressively or the stretching may exacerbate the injury.
Stretching should be gentle and not painful. Often a session or two with physical therapy can help an athlete develop a proper stretching program. As healing progresses, the intensity of stretching can also progress, but should never be painful. Physical therapy can help guide an athlete with appropriate treatment.
Many people find relief with modalities such as ultrasound , electrical stimulation, and therapeutic massage. These types of exercises may include low-impact activities including cycling and pool workouts. Apply ice to the injured hamstring in the acute phase, and then after activities.
Ice will help limit the swelling and inflammatory reaction and may help to stimulate blood flow to the injured area. Ice can also be an effective pain-relieving treatment for these types of muscle strains. Before activities, heating the injured muscle can help loosen the tissue. Applying a heat pack to the hamstring prior to stretching or exercising may help to warm up the injured muscle.
As a general rule, remember to heat before, and ice after. Many patients also find it beneficial to contrast treatment where the muscle is alternately warmed, then iced, again in an effort to stimulate blood flow to the injured muscle. Anti-inflammatory medications such as Aleve, Motrin, or ibuprofen can help relieve pain. These also calm the inflammatory response from the injury.
Surgical treatment is rarely necessary for the treatment of a hamstring injury. When the injury occurs within the central part of the muscle, it is almost always best to treat these injuries non-surgically. In some situations when the muscle attachment to the bone is pulled off, surgery may be necessary to reattach the muscle to its proper location.
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