Hamstring Injury Recovery

The hamstring muscles, located at the back of the thigh, are comprised of three muscle groups. This muscle group allows your knee to bend, and plays a critical role in every activity involving the lower body. Your hamstrings are contracting every single time you take a step, climb a flight of stairs or get in and out of your car.

 

A sudden, excessive stress on this muscle group is a common cause of injury. An individual with a previous history of hamstring injuries is more likely to get re-injured. Hamstring muscle tightness and inadequate warm-up can also cause injuries.

The Role of the Physical Therapist

Physical therapists will prescribe and supervise a structured exercise program once the acute injury phase (and the associated pain and swelling) has subsided.

These can include:

1. Muscle strength exercises – including static and dynamic strength exercises to help regain strength as quickly as possible.
2. Range of motion – including active and passive range of motion exercises that can be partial, or complete range of motion. This helps maintain mobility and minimize muscle tightness.
3. Provision of support devices – The use of assistive devices like crutches, walkers or canes to walk short distances is helpful for patients during the recovery phase. The physical therapist will help analyze the need for such a device, identify the right device (if needed) and assist in acquiring such a device.

Exercises involving balance, weight bearing and unexpected shifts in direction can improve strength and stability in the hamstring muscles. For an athlete recovering from hamstring injuries, a physical therapist will work on motor control and help train sport-specific movements.

Whether you are a weekend warrior or an athlete suffering from a hamstring injury, physical therapy can help. In fact, the scope of physical therapy extends far beyond hamstring injuries and includes pain relief and restoration of function for any muscle injury in the body. Give us a call, and we’ll help you regain control of your muscles as quickly as possible.