Hamstring strains are one of the most common injuries suffered by running athletes. Unfortunately, they tend to rehabilitate slowly and are usually compounded by a high reoccurrence rate of up to 31% within one year of initial injury. Many factors account for such high reoccurrence rate such as decreased strength of scar tissue at injury site, atrophy or weakness of surrounding muscles, reduced flexibility and possible compensation of running form. For these reasons it is imperative to receive an accurate diagnosis, complete rehabilitation and a progressive reintroduction into running so the injured hamstring can be fully prepared to handle the demands of running.

An adequate rehabilitation plan should incorporate and allow for sufficient time to progress through all stages of healing for the injured tissue. Treatment should be tailored to the severity of the injury and within the constraints of the healing process. Generally rehabilitation time varies from 6 to 12 weeks.

Initially after injury cryotherapy (ice), electrotherapy, soft tissue massage and pain free stretching and strengthening exercises such as isometrics are all introduced. In addition, cross training in an aquatic environment is a safe way to maintain endurance and cardiovascular conditioning. As the phases of healing progress more aggressive exercises such as core stability and specific hamstring strengthening activities can be included. As these are tolerated without symptoms or pain, eccentric activity or deceleration training is introduced. Eccentrics have been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of hamstring injury thus possibly playing a key role in reducing the chance of reoccurrence. Finally, high velocity eccentrics or plyometrics are incorporated with a strong focus on return to running progression.

In conclusion, because of the high reoccurrence rate of this specific injury traditional stretching exercises alone may not be sufficient enough to fully prepare an injured athlete for return to running. Therefore it is important to get an accurate diagnosis by a Sports Medicine Physician followed by an aggressive and comprehensive rehabilitation program by a qualified Physical Therapist.

If you have any further questions about your hamstring injury or any other sports medicine question please call the NovaCare Sports Medicine hotline at 216-956-9312 to talk to a Certified Athletic Trainer 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

Article provided by:

Timothy Shanor, MSPT, OCS, CSCS
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist in Physical Therapy
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Center Manager Stow NovaCare
3903 Darrow Road, Stow OH 44224
Email: TShanor@HQ.Novacare.com

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