Hamstring Injury Recovery
A Comprehensive Guide to Hamstring Injury Recovery
If you are undergoing hamstring injury recovery, you have a long, potentially painful process ahead of you. It is important to realize that your muscles will need time and proper rehabilitation to get back to 100%. If you’ve recently pulled your hamstring and have questions regarding recovery, read further for helpful tips on what you can do to help speed the process and prevent another strain or tear from occurring.
Common Causes of Hamstring Pulls and Injuries
Injuries to your hamstring are usually caused one of the following: low fitness level, poor flexibility, lack of warming up, muscle fatigue, and imbalance in your leg muscle. Having a subpar fitness level usually means that you will have weak leg muscles that are susceptible to strains and pulls on the occasion that you exert great force on them.
Poor flexibility can also lead to injuries. If you don’t stretch and condition your muscles, your risk of tears is very high. When these tears happen they cause your hamstring to become shorter and tighter and therefore more prone to injuries.
Even the physically fit and athletic can suffer the occasional hamstring injury if they do not properly warm up before exercise. Warming up prepares your muscles for the upcoming exertion they will be putting forth. It’s important to stretch out so that your muscles are not tight and likely to cramp or rip.
In addition, over-exercising can lead to muscle fatigue. A tired and weak muscle is much more likely to suffer from an injury than a well-rested one.
If your hamstring is weak but your quadriceps and other muscles are very strong, this bifurcation in strength will cause your hamstring to have to work double time to keep up with it. In addition to this, having one leg stronger than the other one can also lead to this problem.
Treatments for Your Injured Hamstring
Hamstring injury recovery treatment needs to start immediately, as the first 48 hours are critical. The RICE technique is one of the best things you can do during this period of time. Rest your injured muscle often. Ice it for 15 minutes at a time, taking 15 minute breaks in between. Compression bandages are also helpful, as they assist in reduction and prevention of swelling as well as unnecessary muscle exertion. Lastly, elevating your hamstring will also help take pressure off of your muscle.
It is also important to mobilize your lower limb as best you can. Careful stretching and minor strengthening exercises in the non-injured parts of your leg will help correctly rehabilitate the muscles and can assist in decreasing of swelling.
These treatments are designed for minor to moderate hamstring pulls and tears. If you have a serious injury it is crucial that you get to a doctor as soon as possible. You may have separated the muscle and tendons from your femur and your hamstring injury recovery may include special treatment and the possibility of a surgery.
Prevention of Future Hamstring Injuries
In order to prevent any more hamstring injuries from happening it is incredibly important to stretch. Stretching is crucial in preventing reoccurring injuries. Always stretch before and after exercise. Making sure that you stay in shape is also an effective measure in muscle injury prevention.
Don’t rush back into strenuous physical activity after you’ve pulled your hamstring. Depending on the severity of your injury the complete healing process may take anywhere from 6 weeks up to 6 months. The recovery is a long, arduous process and while you might be tempted to get out on your bike again or hit the court as soon as possible, it’s more beneficial to give yourself time to heal.