If you have ever pulled a hamstring you are not alone because this is very common amongst all athletes. It can happen suddenly if you put in a little effort that your muscles are not used. Suddenly they will start to cry out in pain and you will start to hear the shout with this strain. Often you will see professional athletes stop suddenly and pull up, clutching their thigh and grimacing in pain. This is a definite sign of a hamstring injury and depending on the severity can take anywhere between two weeks to a couple of months to heal completely.
What is a pulled hamstring?
The back of the thigh is made up of three hamstrings from three muscles and tendons. Two can be found on the inner side of the back of the thigh and one on the outer side. They are helpful in bending the knee as well as moving the thigh backwards and that is why when you have a pulled hamstring every time you bend your knee you will find it extremely painful.
It can be that someone is born with short hamstrings and this will cause problems. It also happens when kids are growing faster than their hamstrings can handle and this will also lead to some kind of a strain. Eventually, this all evens out. The fact that hamstrings are not as elastic as other muscles in the body means that they are under a lot more pressure.
An injured hamstring can take a long time to heal and further injury is common. However if full recovery is achieved and sport not resumed too early this will lower the risk of further injury. Also stretching exercises should be done as soon as possible to speed recovery.
A minor hamstring injury may heal within about two weeks, but worse cases can take three months or more to recover.
What are the causes of a pulled hamstring?
It is usually sports like football, sprinting and other sports which involving running at great speeds so if you are running faster than you normally do or if you are concentrating on speed work, pushing the limit then you may be risking the chance of a pulled hamstring muscle.
Older athletes are more prone to injuries and this can happen when you just not aware of what is happening with your muscles. You may be feeling as young as your son’s friends, but running with them and trying to beat them is another story altogether.
When one set of muscles is a lot weaker than the other it leads to muscle imbalance and this will bring on the injury. It could be that the quadriceps are too strong.
Every athlete will know the theory behind adequate warm up, but this doesn’t mean that they always carry it out.
If the muscles are tight and not flexible enough it can also cause injury. This also includes hip flexors as well as quadriceps. This is why it is so important to stretch.
Have a look at your posture because this will always come into play. Rounded shoulders and a tight lower back as well as a pelvis which is tilted forward will all contribute
Your actual running technique could add to the problem and increase your bad posture. Someone who leans forward when they run is in the red zone. Increasing the length of your stride can also be a problem.
Symptoms of a pulled hamstring
The severity of the injury will differ from patient to patient and for some it can be a lot harder to deal with, depending on how badly the muscle and tendon fibers were affected. The injury is described in a grade and this will tell you how bad the pull is. The symptoms shouldn’t be confused with pitiforims syndrome, which also can be as a pull at the back of the thigh, but also extends further up to the buttocks .
There are three grades
Grade 1 – This is when some of the fibers were stretched, but there was no tearing of the muscle. You will feel a slight pull at the back of the thigh, but the aches and pains develop further as you increase your level of activity. By walking up a couple of stairs you will start to feel a definite pull.
Grade 2 – You will feel a sharp pain at the back of the thigh and will find it difficult to walk some of the time. The injured area will start to swell.
Grade 3 –The symptoms of this category are the same as those from Grade 2, but the pain increases, as does the swelling. If the injury is really bad you will start to see some bruising come to the surface as well.
How to treat a pulled hamstring
Pulled hamstring healing can take a couple of weeks to recover for grade 1 and grade 2 injuries, but you will need more time for grade 3 injuries, which require a lot of therapy and stretching to get back to full fitness once again.
When in doubt always turn to the RICE formula. As soon as you injure a muscle go straight to the freezer and place an ice pack on the wound. This is going to help a lot in terms of keeping the swelling down and helping with the long term effects. The ice should be place on a cloth to prevent it going directly on the skin. Get into a routine of placing the ice on the injured area for about 15 minutes at a time.
This is where you should just put any type of exercise to one side for a while and focus on rehabilitation. Continue with the RICE method for the next two days. If walking is difficult you may not want to attempt running yet. Some people with a grade 3 injury may want to think of investing in a pair of crutches to get around.
Wrapping the leg will take some of the pain away as well as keeping it compressed. You can buy something specially designed for this or you can wrap it yourself form the knee to the groin. This will also prevent fluid from draining down. Keeping the leg elevated will also help the fluid from staying in one place.
If you are suffering with pain at times then you may want to think of ibuprofen which will help control the pain.
Pulled hamstring exercises that are essential to rehabilitation
Make sure you don’t just dive straight into these stretches because this could cause even more damage. It is a good idea to set yourself a program and slowly build up every day. This definitely applies when you have a more serious injury and therefore you will need to consult your doctor or physio.
Here are a couple of stretches that will do you a lot of good. It’s not a good idea to jump into them right after the injury. Remember the RICE formula with a lot of rest and before attempting this. This is to prepare you to get back on the road.
Leg extension – you have to lie on your back with your knee bent and your arms placed at the sides. Pull the injured knee towards you, but do this with care. If it becomes painful then stop. Straighten the leg and hold the position for 20 seconds. Once you feel more comfortable you can try and move the leg up towards the ceiling.
Gluteus Stretch – Lie in the same position as the above exercise, but cross the pulled hamstring’s ankle over the opposite knee. Bring your legs to your chest with the help of your hands. You will feel a stretch, but if it becomes too much then give it a rest.
Leg Raise – Lie on your stomach with your legs straight. Lift the injured leg slightly and hold for 10 seconds. Return to the start position and try again. If you feel good you can opt for a weight, but don’t do this too soon or try anything that is going to be too heavy.
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