Hamstring Strain Information

Hamstring Strain Information

A pulled hamstring may also be called a torn hamstring or hamstring strain. It’s when one or more of the hamstring muscles are abruptly or forcefully stretched/pulled past their normal positioning. This injury is commonly caused by activities that involve sprinting, such as track, football, baseball and basketball.

 

 

 

Hamstring Pulled/Torn

Anatomy As It Related To A Pulled Hamstring

The hamstring actually isn’t one large muscle, but rather three muscles located in the posterior thigh. The semitendinosus, the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris comprise the hamstring. It starts in the lower pelvis and runs the length of the femur bone. It crosses the back of the knee along either side and attaches to the fibula and tibia bones. The large muscle controls much movement in the body. It helps to turn the leg out and in, allows the knee to flex, assists with hip extension, and is highly involved with power lower extremity movements for thrust and propulsion. The hamstring is also highly involved is eccentric movement. It increases in length when under tension, acting as a braking system to stop the movement. This action can be felt in the hamstring as one tries to stop suddenly from a sprint.

Causes Of A Pulled Or Torn Hamstring

The biceps femoris is the most often pulled hamstring muscle. More often than not, pulled hamstrings occur while under eccentric motion. The stretching or tearing could also be the result of a direct hit to the area or any movement that causes the muscle fibers to abruptly or forcefully contract. Other risk factors include:

* poor flexibility
* significant imbalances in strength or flexibility between hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups
* hamstring fatigue or weakness
* overexertion of hamstring
* leg length differences may cause tighter and more apt to pull hamstrings
* participation in activities and sports that require quick starts-and-stops

Grades Of A Pulled Or Torn Hamstring

Like all other strain injuries to muscles, a pulled hamstring is graded based on the severity of the injury. Each grade has injury specific symptoms. The grades are as follows:

Grade I

A stretching or microscopic tearing of muscle fibers in one or more of the hamstring muscles. The symptoms may include the following:

* may not identify the causative event
* hamstring muscle tightness
* may present as a slight pulling sensation or ache in the thigh
* normal gait, but may experience some mild discomfort when running or walking
* none to minimal swelling

Grade II

A partial tearing of the muscle fibers in one of more of the hamstring muscles. The symptoms may include the following:

* may feel an immediate sharp pain when injury occurs
* limping gait
* gradually progressing muscle tightness, pain, and discomfort (especially upon movement and bending the affected leg)
* noticeable swelling
* could result in inability or difficulty bending the affected leg
* bruising
* may have muscle spasms

Grade III

A complete tear or rupture of the hamstring muscle. The symptoms may include the following:

* may feel a “pop” at the time of injury, followed by immediate and intense pain
* severely affected gait
* may require walking aids to safely ambulate
* swelling
* bruising
* muscle spasms

 

Strengthening Exercises

These Hamstring Exercises are ideal to build strength and flexibility.

Massage Treatment

These Hamstring Massage Techniques are of great value in pain relief; circulation stimulation; dispersing blood and fluid accumulations; swelling reduction; and relaxing muscle spasms, especially when used alongside the Sinew Therapeutics liniments and soaks.

 

ACUTE STAGE SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

 

This stage is characterized by swelling, redness, pain, and possibly a local sensation of heat, indicating inflammation. If coolness makes your pain feel better, then the Acute Stage Treatment is recommended.

 

ACUTE STAGE SYMPTOMS:

 

The acute stage starts the moment an injury occurs and lasts until the swelling and inflammation are gone. The swelling is the result of the blockage of blood, tissue fluids and circulation in the hamstring because their normal movement has been disrupted by the force of the injury. Just like cars back up behind a traffic jam, causing congestion, exhaust and overheating; blood and fluids back up behind the injured hamstring, causing pain, inflammation, lumps and swelling.

The sensation of heat is due to the warming action of the blood and fluids overheating in the injured hamstring as they back up and accumulate. Stiffness and decreased mobility are due to spasms in tendons and ligaments that have contracted reflexively beyond their normal range from the impact of the injury.

As ligaments and tendons stretch and tear, blood from ruptured blood vessels becomes trapped in the local tissues. As the trapped blood clots up, it sticks the tissues together creating adhesions. Adhesions cause pain, inflammation and restricted movement because the layers of tissue that used to slide smoothly across one another now adhere and snap which interferes with normal functioning. It is essential to break up clotted blood as quickly as possible to prevent adhesions and scar tissue from forming.

During the acute stage it is very important to restore normal circulation to the hamstring, break up clotted blood and stagnant fluids, reduce swelling, and reduce the redness and heat associated with inflammation. By restoring the flow of blood, fluids, and circulation in the hamstring, then pain is relieved, damaged tissues can regenerate with healthy functional tissue, and the hamstring can strengthen and regain it's mobility.

 

ACUTE STAGE TREATMENT:

 

1. Apply the Sinew Herbal Ice on your hamstring to reduce redness, swelling, and inflammation while dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to help restore normal circulation to the hamstring. This first-aid treatment is used in place of ice to significantly speed up the healing process. It reduces the swelling and inflammation more effectively than ice, allowing you to more quickly regain range of motion. Acute Sinew Liniment can be used in-between applications.

Ice is not recommended because it does not help repair damaged tissues and keeps everything in the injured area frozen, causing the stagnation of blood and fluids and the contraction of muscles, tendons and ligaments. In Chinese sports medicine ice is not used and is considered a culprit in injuries that don’t heal well.

2. Massage your hamstring with Acute Sinew Liniment to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, break up clotted blood and stagnant fluids, and stimulate circulation of blood and fluids to help cells quickly repair damaged tissues. Sinew Herbal Ice can be used in-between applications.

3. The Sinew Sports Massage Oil is recommended for use before and after exercise, sports and strenuous activity. It warms and stimulates your muscles, increases circulation and relieves tightness, hence improving your performance and helping to prevent injury.

 

 

CHRONIC STAGE SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

 

This stage begins once the swelling and inflammation are gone, but you still feel pain, stiffness, weakness, and/or sensitivity in cold and damp weather. If heat makes your pain feel better, then the Chronic Stage Treatment is recommended.


CHRONIC STAGE SYMPTOMS:

 

The chronic stage begins once the swelling and inflammation are gone, but you still feel aching pain and stiffness. This is because there are still accumulations of stagnant blood and fluids in your hamstring that are blocking circulation and blood supply to damaged tissues, creating residual pain, stiffness and weakness. You may actually feel hard nodules like sand in the tissue, indicating accumulation, calcification, and adhesions, which all cause pain, stiffness, and joint instability.

Your hamstring may feel more sensitive to the cold and ache in cold and damp weather due to impaired circulation. When you move your hamstring you may hear a clicking or popping sound from the tendons and ligaments slipping very slightly in and out of their natural alignment indicating weakness and joint instability, causing chronic pain and a cycle of reinjury. These symptoms are often the result of failure to treat the injury properly from the outset and overicing.

Increasing circulation and blood supply to the damaged tissues is very important in treating chronic injuries because tendons and ligaments do not have an extensive direct supply of blood. That is why chronic injuries can be slow to heal. Increasing local circulation also prevents cold and dampness from penetrating the injured area, preventing pain and stiffness.

During the chronic stage it is very important to break up remaining accumulations of blood and fluids, and increase circulation and blood supply to the damaged tissues. By increasing circulation and blood flow in the hamstring, then pain and stiffness is relieved, and the tendons and ligaments can strengthen to restore stability.


CHRONIC STAGE TREATMENT:

 

1. Massage your hamstring with Chronic Sinew Liniment to relieve pain and stiffness, strongly stimulate circulation and blood flow to damaged tissues, and promote the healing of overstretched tendons and ligaments. The Sinew Relaxing Soak can be used in-between applications.

2. Soak your hamstring with the Sinew Relaxing Soak to relax muscles and tendons that are in spasm, ease joint pain and stiffness, and improve range of motion. The Sinew Relaxing Soak is particularly useful if you feel tightness in your hamstring. The soak can be used by saturating a towel in the liquid and applying it to your hamstring. Chronic Sinew Liniment can be used in-between applications.

3. The Sinew Sports Massage Oil is recommended for use before and after exercise, sports and strenuous activity. It warms and stimulates your muscles, increases circulation and relieves tightness, hence improving your performance and helping to prevent injury.