Hamstring strains are very common. Four different hamstring muscles work in unison and if they do not coordinate their functions properly, they can tear. A to understand how it happens and what you can do about it. Preventing a strain is about timing and coordination.
The four muscles are semimembranosus and semitendinosus and short and long biceps femoris. Eighty percent of hamstring injuries occur in the biceps femoris muscle. Intermuscular coordination, stiffness, and eccentric strength in the hamstring also involve the pelvic region and core. There are things you need to avoid injury and the need for treatment in the first place.
Start with an analysis of your running mechanics. Are you over-striding? Do you have pelvic control? If not, you are leaving your hamstrings in a vulnerable position when contacting the ground. Consider the hip abductor magnus is often called the fourth hamstring.
Warm Up. Passive stretching is not enough; it needs to prepare the body.
Proper Training Load. Fast twitch muscle groups have type II fibers that are quick to focus on balance and prevent strain injury.
Level of Fatigue. Don’t begin vigorous exercise if your mind and body are already fatigued.
Lower Back Issues. Problems with the lower spine and pelvic control lead to strain injury.
Ground Surface. Slippery and uneven surfaces will strain muscles as they correct themselves for balance.
What Causes a Hamstring Strain?
Primary causes involve poor intermuscular coordination due to timing and localized strength in the hamstring muscles ‘during the switch between late leg recovery and initial leg approach in the swing phase of sprinting’.
Also, lack of localized muscle strength in the hamstrings, during the ground contact phase of running, affecting the ability to absorb shock and rebound.
Prior strain injury.
What are the Symptoms of a Hamstring Strain?
Mild strains may feel more like a stiffness or dull ache in the hamstring. A higher grade strain is excruciating and walking or standing may be impossible. An accurate diagnosis will require further analysis.
Other possible symptoms of hamstring strain injury are:
A snap or pop in the hamstring followed by sudden and agonizing pain during exercises
Rear thigh and gluteal pain when walking, extending the leg, or leaning over
Soreness
Bruising
How is a Hamstring Strain Diagnosed? What is the Recovery Time?
Physiotherapists (sports doctors) look for signs of pain when contracting the muscle, reduced flexibility, soreness or a substantial lump or gap within the muscle tissue. The strain is graded 1, 2, or 3 and will vary and due the demands of activities. General recovery times listed will need further analysis by a physiotherapist.
Grade 1
May feel tension in the back of the thigh but able to 3 weeks
Grade 2
Walking pattern will be affected and cause limping. Sudden spasms during exercises and activity, some muscle swelling, and tenderness to 8 weeks.
Grade 3
This is a severe strain injury involving a tear to 6 months and may require surgery.
Note: The grade of injury and its exact location can be found by your physician using diagnostic MRI. Also, due to get a professional diagnosis from a physiotherapist skilled in treatment of these particular strain injuries.
Hamstring Strain Treatment
Many patients start to a poor rehabilitation process. A specific exercise program and treatment by a sports physician is recommended.
Hamstring strains are one injury where expert analysis is recommended for an accurate diagnosis to provide you with the best chance of avoiding reoccurring injury and issues in the lower back and hips created by building scar tissue.
Hamstring Physiotherapy Treatment
Physician Focus
Reducing pain and swelling
Regulating range of flexibility and extension with stretching
Strengthening the knees and thighs with exercises that train muscular stiffness and reactivity
Reinforcing lower limb muscles like the calves and pelvis
Normalizing core stabilization – a mitigating factor in many strains
Stabilizing communication in the nervous system enabling your sciatic nerve to pass freely without intrusion of scar tissue
Improving the body’s overall ability to position, motion, and equilibrium
Develop your method and purpose during running, sprinting, jumping, hopping, and landing
Diminish risk of re-injury and further treatment with the proper exercises
Reactive Neuromuscular Training on Kineo
Kineo – the most versatile muscle testing using artificial intelegence
In this instance, an athlete was originally diagnosed with minor quadriceps muscle strain and was treated for four weeks, with unsatisfactory results. When he came to our clinic, the muscle was not healing, and the patients’ muscle tissue had already begun to atrophy.
Upon examination using MSUS, we discovered that he had a full muscle thickness tear that had been overlooked by his previous provider. To mitigate damage and promote healing, surgery should have been performed immediately after the injury occurred. Because of misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, the patient now has permanent damage that cannot be corrected.
The most important advantage of Ultrasound over MRI imaging is its ability to zero in on the symptomatic region and obtain imaging, with active participation and feedback from the patient. Using dynamic MSUS, we can see what happens when patients contract their muscles, something that cannot be done with MRI. From a diagnostic perspective, this interaction is invaluable.
Dynamic ultrasonography examination demonstrating the full thickness tear and already occurring muscle atrophy due to misdiagnosis and not referring the patient to proper diagnostic workup
Demonstration of how very small muscle defect is made and revealed to be a complete tear with muscle contraction under diagnostic sonography (not possible with MRI)
Complete tear of rectus femoris with large hematoma (blood)
Separation of muscle ends due to tear elicited on dynamic sonography examination
Request Telehealth 
