The hamstring is the muscle that helps you bend your leg. It starts at the back of your thigh and connects to your shin bone. When this muscle gets pulled, it can be very painful. Symptoms of a pulled hamstring include pain in the back of the thigh or lower buttock, bruising behind one knee cap, feeling like something is pulling on the inside part of your leg when you walk, or being unable to work out for several days after injury due to severe pain. This injury is common in athletes, particularly runners. It may occur during a sports event due to increased exertion or excitement. This article looks at the common activities that can lead to a hamstring pull and the recovery and treatment process. Symptoms can include pain in the back of the thigh or lower buttock, bruising behind one knee cap, feeling like something is pulling on the inside part of your leg when you walk or being unable to work out for several days after injury due to severe pain.
Common Activities to Pull a Hamstring
There are a lot of different things which can lead to a pulled hamstring. Some of the most common ones include:
- Soccer - Soccer players are very susceptible to hamstring injuries. They frequently sprint and make quick turns, which place a lot of stress on this muscle. If a player hasn't warmed up properly or becomes fatigued during a match, injury is almost inevitable.
- Football - These players may suffer from leg cramps at the end of the game due to an accumulation of lactic acid in their muscles. The hamstring muscle is the most commonly pulled muscle for football players.
- Tennis - Tennis players are also at risk for hamstring injuries due to the quick turns and stress on their legs during play. It's usually an injury that occurs near the end of a match when the player is tired.
- Running and Track Events - Running involves constant forward motion and leg turning. This activity is a common cause of hamstring injury since it requires a lot of effort from the hamstring muscle while also stressing the other muscles in the lower leg.
- Gaining Height - Gymnasts may place too much pressure on their hamstrings when attempting to complete quick, high-energy moves such as the front flip.
- Swimming - Swimmers may pull their hamstring when there is an imbalance between the muscle groups in their legs, which causes the hamstring to work extra hard. This pain is usually felt at the back of the thigh. The muscle might pull completely or just hurt.
- Overstretching - Many people believe that the best way to stretch out is by bouncing or forcing your body into uncomfortable positions. This can lead to a hamstring strain because there is no control over the stretch.
Recovery and Treatment
Home remedies are perfect for stretching and strengthening the hamstring muscle. Try to avoid any activities that could further injure the muscle, such as running or playing sports. Rest is necessary for any muscular injury, but stay active with mild exercises like walking and swimming and at-home treatment such as using heat packs and ice packs. Compression bandages and knee braces can also help reduce swelling. The most important thing to do is take it easy for a few days after the injury.
Doctors may recommend taking anti-inflammatory medications or applying topical pain relievers which reduces the amount of pain signals sent to the brain. If the pain becomes too severe, they may prescribe stronger medications, including muscle relaxants.
Surgery may be necessary in severe cases where the hamstring muscle has torn completely. In this case, doctors would use a suturing technique to rejoin the muscles' ends and ease discomfort. It's important to see a doctor as soon as possible after an injury like this since surgery should not be delayed.
A pulled hamstring may only take a few days to heal, but it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. In most cases, the hamstring is simply overworked or not stretched properly before activity. However, some injuries require long-term treatment and even surgery to fix the problem once and for all.