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Hamstring pulls or tears: Occur in back of the thigh and are often occur suddenly A hamstring tear injury is a rip in the hamstring muscles. It happens when the hamstrings are overstretched or overloaded with too much weight. Depending on the injury, the hamstring can tear partially or completely.
Torn hamstring causes
Typically, a hamstring tear occurs during physical activity. Common causes include:
· Athletic injuries. Most torn hamstrings are caused by extreme stretching or overload during a sport. The injury often happens to people who play sports like soccer, football, Tennis etc. v
· Past hamstring injury. If you’ve torn your hamstring in the past, you’re more likely to tear it again. The risk is higher if you do intense activity before you’re fully healed.
· Overtraining. Training too hard can overload your hamstrings and cause tears.
· Poor flexibility. If you have limited flexibility, certain movements may stretch your muscles too far.
In addition to athletes, older people are prone to hamstring tears. That’s because flexibility often declines with age.
Adolescent athletes, who are still growing, are also at risk. Since bone and muscle grow at different rates, the growing bone can tighten the hamstring muscles, making them more susceptible to injury.
The symptoms of a torn hamstring depend on the severity of your injury. You might feel:
- sudden, sharp pain
- a “popping” sensation at the time of injury
- tenderness
- swelling within the first few hours
- bruising within the first few days
- partial or complete weakness in your leg
- inability to place weight on your leg
Hamstring tear grades
Depending on their severity, hamstring injuries are categorized into one of three grades.
Grade 1 is mild hamstring strain, which is also called a pulled hamstring. It happens when the hamstring muscles overstretch but don’t tear.
If the hamstring stretches to the point where it rips, the injury is considered a tear. Hamstring tear grades include:
Grade 2 hamstring tear
A grade 2 hamstring tear is a partial muscle tear. This means the muscle hasn’t fully ripped.
Compared to a grade 1 strain, a grade 2 tear is more painful. Your leg will feel somewhat weak and you’ll likely limp.
Grade 3 hamstring tear
The most severe hamstring tear is a grade 3 hamstring tear. It occurs when the hamstring muscle rips completely or tears off the bone. A tear that pulls the muscle off the bone is called an avulsion.
If you have a grade 3 tear, you likely heard a “popping” sound or sensation when you got the injury. The back of your thigh will also be extremely painful and swollen.
Because this tear is so severe, you may not be able to put weight on the injured leg.
Diagnosing a hamstring tear
At your appointment, a doctor will do several things to determine if you have a torn hamstring. This might include a:
- Physical exam. The doctor will check your thigh for swelling, tenderness, and bruising. This helps them decide if your injury is mild or severe.
- MRI. If the doctor thinks you have a severe injury, you might get an MRI. This imaging test will show the tear in your muscle tissue.
- Ultrasound. An ultrasound is another test that produces a detailed image of your muscles. It can show the size and location of the hamstring tear.
- X-ray. You’ll need to get an x-ray if the doctor thinks the bone was fractured during your injury.
Torn hamstring treatment
Torn hamstring treatment depends on the grade of your injury. In general, treatment options include:
RICE method
The RICE method is the first line of treatment for most sports injuries. For grade 2 tears, it’s the main form of treatment.
RICE stands for:
- Rest. Taking a break from physical activity will let your hamstrings heal. You might need to use crutches or a knee splint to avoid moving your leg.
- Ice. To ease swelling and pain, wrap an ice pack in a towel and place it on your hamstring for 20 minutes. Repeat a couple times each day.
- Compression. An elastic compression bandage can help relieve swelling.
- Elevation. Elevating your injured leg will also decrease swelling. Place it higher than your heart by using pillows, cushions, or folded blankets.
Pain medication
Typically, treatment often includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen. You’ll need to take NSAIDs for about a week after your injury.
A doctor can recommend the appropriate medication and dose for you.
Physical therapy
Once the pain subsides, you’ll go to physical therapy. The physical therapist will plan a regimen that’s designed to improve your flexibility and range of motion.
As you get better, they’ll have you do strengthening hamstring exercises.
Hamstring surgery
If the treatments above don’t heal a partial tear, or if you have a complete tear, you may need surgery to repair it. The surgeon will fix the tear with stitches.
However, most hamstring surgeries are done to treat avulsions. During the procedure, the surgeon will move the muscle into its correct position and staple or stitch it to the bone.
How to do the exercises
Hamstring set (heel dig)
1. Sit with your affected leg bent. Your good leg should be straight and supported on the floor.
2. Tighten the muscles on the back of your bent leg (hamstring) by pressing your heel into the floor.
3. Hold for about 6 seconds, and then rest for up to 10 seconds.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Hamstring curl
1. Lie on your stomach with your knees straight. Place a pillow under your stomach. If your kneecap is uncomfortable, roll up a face cloth and put it under your leg just above your kneecap.
2. Lift the foot of your affected leg by bending your knee so that you bring your foot up toward your buttock. If this motion hurts, try it without bending your knee quite as far. This may help you avoid any painful motion.
3. Slowly move your leg up and down.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
5. When you can do this exercise with ease and no pain, add some resistance. To do this:
6. Tie the ends of an exercise band together to form a loop. Attach one end of the loop to a secure object or shut a door on it to hold it in place. (Or you can have someone hold one end of the loop to provide resistance.)
7. Loop the other end of the exercise band around the lower part of your affected leg.
8. Repeat steps 1 through 4, slowly pulling back on the exercise band with your leg.
Hip extension
1. Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at about chest level.
2. Keeping the knee of your affected leg straight, kick that leg straight back behind you.
3. Relax, and lower your leg back to the starting position.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
5. When you can do this exercise with ease and no pain, add some resistance. To do this:
6. Tie the ends of an exercise band together to form a loop. Attach one end of the loop to a secure object or shut a door on it to hold it in place. (Or you can have someone hold one end of the loop to provide resistance.)
7. Loop the other end of the exercise band around the lower part of your affected leg.
8. Repeat steps 1 through 4, slowly pulling back on the exercise band with your leg.
Hamstring wall stretch
1. Lie on your back in a doorway, with your good leg through the open door.
2. Slide your affected leg up the wall to straighten your knee. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg.
a. Do not arch your back.
b. Do not bend either knee.
c. Keep one heel touching the floor and the other heel touching the wall. Do not point your toes.
3. Hold the stretch for at least 1 minute to begin. Then try to lengthen the time you hold the stretch to as long as 6 minutes.
4. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
5. If you do not have a place to do this exercise in a doorway, there is another way to do it:
6. Lie on your back, and bend the knee of your affected leg.
7. Loop a towel under the ball and toes of that foot, and hold the ends of the towel in your hands.
8. Straighten your knee, and slowly pull back on the towel. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg.
9. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Or even better, hold the stretch for 1 minute if you can.
10. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
Calf stretch
1. Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at about eye level. Put your affected leg about a step behind your other leg.
2. Keeping your back leg straight and your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee and gently bring your hip and chest toward the wall until you feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg.
3. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4, but this time keep your back knee bent.
Single-leg balance
1. Stand on a flat surface with your arms stretched out to your sides like you are making the letter "T." Then lift your good leg off the floor, bending it at the knee. If you are not steady on your feet, use one hand to hold on to a chair, counter, or wall.
2. Standing on your affected leg, keep that knee straight. Try to balance on that leg for up to 30 seconds. Then rest for up to 10 seconds.
3. Repeat 6 to 8 times.
4. When you can balance on your affected leg for 30 seconds with your eyes open, try to balance on it with your eyes closed.
5. When you can do this exercise with your eyes closed for 30 seconds and with ease and no pain, try standing on a pillow or piece of foam, and repeat steps 1 through 4.
