Hamstring injury how long to recover

There are other conditions like sciatica, back pain, hamstring tendinopathy etc. Here are the main criteria to decide whether you pulled your hamstring:. No, in most cases the diagnosis can be made just going through the history of how your injury happened, where your symptoms are and by getting you to do some simple test movements to see how sensitive the hamstrings are when being stretched or contracted.

Our bodies heal acute injuries, like muscles tears, through a 3 step healing process. Minor hamstring pulls that only damage a few muscle fibers take about 4 weeks to fully recover. More significant hamstring tears can take 12 weeks. Tendons take much longer to heal. Even popular treatments like massage, dry needling and ultrasound do very little to speed up the healing process. The body is extremely good at healing itself if you provide it with what it needs, when it needs it.

What your hamstring needs to recover is the right combination of rest and exercise and this combination will vary depending on what part of the healing process your injury is in. The treatment for hamstring strains can be split into 3 main stages according to the stage of healing:. We understand. Finding convenient and reliable help for injuries online can be a tedious and demoralising process.

The Exakt Health App provides a convenient, intuitive and science-based injury rehab experience for runners. All treatment advice is based on trusted medical evidence and reviewed by licenced sports physiotherapists, with each rehabilitation plan tailored to your unique grade of injury and phase of healing. Download the Exakt Health App and start your recovery now.

Check our help guide for more info. Download the App! Maryke Louw. Hamstring strain diagnosis and treatment. In this article we take a look at what happens when you strain a hamstring, how to best diagnose it and what treatments are essential to the healing process.

March 4, Table of content. Hamstring Anatomy. Picture adapted from: Wikimedia. There are also nerves, arteries and veins that run in and around the muscles. It is quite common to also tear some blood vessels which is why you may have a bruise. Here are the main criteria to decide whether you pulled your hamstring: Mechanism of injury: You can only strain a hamstring during activity — most commonly through running, jumping, or some other quick movement. You usually feel a sudden sharp pain in the back of your thigh and it often forces you to stop running.

In mild cases, you may still be able to walk or even jog and move your leg without much pain or restriction. In more severe cases, even walking around the house may be difficult and it can be painful to straighten your leg fully.

Stretching the hamstrings are usually painful. The muscle can stretch quite a bit due to the elastin in the muscle cell but the musculoskeletal junction and tendon are not nearly as flexible.

The makeup of these areas is similar to leather and can be damaged when stretched too far or too aggressively. Many people that have experienced these injuries deal with the symptoms for months and have a difficult time returning to many of their exercises and activities without the fear of a reoccurrence. It is not uncommon to deal with the symptoms associated with a hamstring injury for many months.

Some studies indicate that the healing time can commonly extend beyond the one year mark. Hamstring injuries take a long time to heal due to function of the muscle. Their involvement in motions at the hip and knee cause the muscle to be under a great deal of stress and strain during most activity.

The different types of muscle contraction that occur to control or move the joints play an important role in the amount of time that is required to heal. Acute symptoms include sudden sharp pain in the back of the thigh, possible developing bruising and a palpable defect in the muscle tissue. If you ever suffered an injury to your hamstring muscles you know how painful and debilitating the injury can be to your daily life.

Physical Therapy can help. The therapy treatment will address the acute symptoms and help to reduce pain and swelling. Many times the ability to flex the knee or hip is reduced due to the pain in the damaged muscle. Regaining motion is a primary goal of therapy. Once the acute symptoms have resolved the focus of the treatment must be to restore the strength and muscular endurance of the injured muscle.

The Physical Therapist will include exercises that are designed to rebuild the strength of the injured muscle. These exercises will incorporate a great deal of eccentric loading of the injured muscle tissue. High speed resistive exercises are needed to develop the muscle fully and restore the function to a pre-injury status. Proper preparation for an activity can help to prevent the injuries from occurring and formal Physical Therapy treatment can speed up the healing process enabling the injured person to return to their desired activity.

Your email address will not be published. I have to show my respect for your generosity supporting those people who require assistance with this particular content. Your personal dedication to getting the solution all-around became really powerful and have constantly enabled individuals much like me to attain their ambitions. If you have a complete tear, recovery can take about 3 months. It might take slightly longer if you get surgery.

Your doctor will let you know when you can go back to work. If you have a physically demanding job, you might need to stay home for most of your recovery time. This will improve your outlook and reduce the risk of re-injury.

Most hamstring tears are caused by athletic injuries. Typically, partial tears heal in 4 to 8 weeks, while complete tears take about 3 months. You should start to feel better with regular physical therapy and lots of rest. Hamstring pain can vary from mild to severe. We'll explain how to treat it and when you need to see a doctor. Not sure whether the pain in the back of your knee is just a cramp or a sign of something more?

Here's what to look for. When it comes to sports, injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. Here are 14 foods and supplements to help you recover from an injury more…. A recessed maxilla can cause cosmetic issues like flat cheekbones and a prominent jaw, and lead to dental problems, speech issues, and obstructed…. If you do tear a meniscus, you might be tempted to "walk it off.

Your physiotherapist or GP will be able to advise you about this. Many people need to avoid sports for at least a few weeks, but the length of time you need off will depend on the severity of your injury. Page last reviewed: 30 July Next review due: 30 July Hamstring injury. The 3 grades of hamstring injury are: grade 1 — a mild muscle pull or strain grade 2 — a partial muscle tear grade 3 — a complete muscle tear The length of time it takes to recover from a hamstring strain or tear will depend on how severe the injury is.

The hamstrings The hamstrings are tendons strong bands of tissue at the back of the thighs that attach the large thigh muscle to the bone. What causes hamstring injuries?

How do I know if I've injured my hamstring? When to see your GP Most hamstring injuries can be cared for at home using the techniques outlined below. Rest and recovery from a hamstring injury Recovering from a hamstring injury may take days, weeks or months, depending on how severe it is. Initial treatment During the first 2 or 3 days, you should care for your injury using RICE therapy: Rest — keep your leg as still as you possibly can and avoid physical activity.

Your GP may recommend using crutches in more severe cases. Ice — apply cold packs a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel will also work to your hamstring for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours during the day.