Knee Pain
Hamstring Tear
A hamstring injury involves straining or pulling one of the hamstring muscles — the group of three muscles that run along the back of the thigh.
Hamstring injuries often occur in people who play sports that involves sprinting with sudden stops and starts. Examples include soccer, basketball, football and tennis. Hamstring injuries can occur in runners and in dancers as well.
Self-care measures such as rest, ice and pain medicine are often all that's needed to relieve the pain and swelling of a hamstring injury. Rarely, surgery is done to repair a hamstring muscle or tendon.
Muscle Overload
Muscle overload is the main cause of hamstring muscle strain. This can happen when the muscle is stretched beyond its capacity or challenged with a sudden load.
Hamstring muscle strains often occur when the muscle lengthens as it contracts, or shortens. Although it sounds contradictory, this happens when you extend a muscle while it is weighted, or loaded. This is called an "eccentric contraction."
During sprinting, the hamstring muscles contract eccentrically as the back leg is straightened and the toes are used to push off and move forward. The hamstring muscles are not only lengthened at this point in the stride, but they are also loaded — with body weight as well as the force required for forward motion.
Like strains, hamstring tendon avulsions are also caused by large, sudden loads.
Risk Factors
Several factors can make it more likely you will have a muscle strain, including:
Muscle tightness. Tight muscles are vulnerable to strain. Athletes should follow a year-round program of daily stretching exercises.
Muscle imbalance. When one muscle group is much stronger than its opposing muscle group, the imbalance can lead to a strain. This frequently happens with the hamstring muscles. The quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh are usually more powerful. During high-speed activities, the hamstring may become fatigued faster than the quadriceps. This fatigue can lead to a strain.
Poor conditioning. If your muscles are weak, they are less able to cope with the stress of exercise and are more likely to be injured.
Muscle fatigue. Fatigue reduces the energy-absorbing capabilities of muscle, making them more susceptible to injury.
Choice of activity. Anyone can experience hamstring strain, but those especially at risk are:
Athletes who participate in sports like football, soccer, basketball
Runners or sprinters
Dancers
Older athletes whose exercise program is primarily walking
Adolescent athletes who are still growing
Hamstring strains occur more often in adolescents because bones and muscles do not grow at the same rate. During a growth spurt, a child's bones may grow faster than the muscles. The growing bone pulls the muscle tight. A sudden jump, stretch, or impact can tear the muscle away from its connection to the bone.
If you strain your hamstring while sprinting in full stride, you will notice a sudden, sharp pain in the back of your thigh. It will cause you to come to a quick stop, and either hop on your good leg or fall.
Additional symptoms may include:
Swelling during the first few hours after injury
Bruising or discoloration of the back of your leg below the knee over the first few days
Weakness in your hamstring that can persist for weeks
A hamstring injury is diagnosed in a visit with your primary care or orthopedic provider. The doctor will take a full medical history and physical exam.
During the physical exam, the doctor will evaluate the swelling, tenderness and range of motion in the leg. In moderate tears or strains, the physician may be able to feel a divot in the muscle.
Your provider may also order diagnostic testing, like an MRI or x-ray, if he or she thinks you have sustained other, more serious injuries that need a different treatment regimen.
Most hamstring strains heal very well with simple, nonsurgical treatment.
RICE. The RICE protocol is effective for most sports-related injuries. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Rest. Take a break from the activity that caused the strain. Your doctor may recommend that you use crutches to avoid putting weight on your leg.
Ice. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Compression. To prevent additional swelling and blood loss, wear an elastic compression bandage.
Elevation. To reduce swelling, recline and put your leg up higher than your heart while resting.
Immobilization. Your doctor may recommend you wear a knee splint for a brief time. This will keep your leg in a neutral position to help it heal.
Physical therapy. Once the initial pain and swelling has settled down, physical therapy can begin. Specific exercises can restore range of motion and strength.
A therapy program focuses first on flexibility. Gentle stretches will improve your range of motion. As healing progresses, strengthening exercises will gradually be added to your program. Your doctor will discuss with you when it is safe to return to sports activity.
Surgery is most often performed for tendon avulsion injuries, where the tendon has pulled completely away from the bone. Tears from the pelvis (proximal tendon avulsions) are more common than tears from the shinbone (distal tendon avulsions).
Surgery is not commonly performed for tears within the muscle belly.
Procedure. To repair a tendon avulsion, your surgeon must pull the hamstring tendon back into place and remove any scar tissue. Then the tendon is reattached to the bone using small devices called anchors.
Rehabilitation. After surgery, you will need to keep weight off of your leg to protect the repair. In addition to using crutches, you may need a brace that keeps your hamstring in a relaxed position. How long you will need these aids will depend on the type of injury you have.
Your physical therapy program will begin with gentle stretches to improve flexibility and range of motion. Strengthening exercises will gradually be added to your plan.
Rehabilitation for a proximal hamstring reattachment typically takes at least 6 months, due to the severity of the injury. Distal hamstring reattachments require approximately 3 months of rehabilitation before returning to athletic activities. Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to return to sports.
Most people who injure their hamstrings will recover full function after completing a rehabilitation plan. Early treatment with a plan that includes the RICE protocol and physical therapy has been shown to result in better function and quicker return to sports.
To prevent reinjuring your hamstring, be sure to follow your doctor's treatment plan. Return to sports only after your doctor has given you the go-ahead. Reinjuring your hamstring increases your risk of permanent damage. This can result in a chronic condition.
How using the HeatPulse
and Thermosleeve can help
The Thermosleeve and HeatPulse are great tools for hot and cold therapy to help you recover from your surgery.
Thermosleeve combines cold with compression for greater effectiveness in relieving pain and inflammation
HeatPulse combines heat and massage to boost blood flow to your knee, encouraging healing and improving range of motion
Swelling after knee surgery can last for three to six months after surgery. To help reduce inflammation and pain, you can use the Thermosleeve three to four times a day for about 10-20 minutes during the first few days after surgery.
After the initial swelling has gone down, you can alternate between the Thermosleeve and the HeatPulse to relax the muscles and ease stiffness.
The Thermosleeve and HeatPulse are great tools for hot and cold therapy to help you recover from your surgery.
Thermosleeve combines cold with compression for greater effectiveness in relieving pain and inflammation
HeatPulse combines heat and massage to boost blood flow to your knee, encouraging healing and improving range of motion
Swelling after knee surgery can last for three to six months after surgery. To help reduce inflammation and pain, you can use the Thermosleeve three to four times a day for about 10-20 minutes during the first few days after surgery.
After the initial swelling has gone down, you can alternate between the Thermosleeve and the HeatPulse to relax the muscles and ease stiffness.
Hear from customers
who have experienced relief
