Hamstring Strains

Pulled a Hammy? Why Active Recovery Beats Rest for Hamstring Strains

Anyone who’s felt that sudden, sharp “pop” or “twinge” at the back of their thigh during a run, kick, or even just reaching down quickly knows the feeling – the dreaded hamstring strain. It’s one of the most frequent muscle injuries we see, sidelining athletes and causing grief for everyday active people right here in North Lakes.

The immediate instinct might be to completely rest it, maybe try some aggressive stretching once the initial pain settles. But hang on – is that really the best approach? At Abound Physio, we champion an evidence-based, active recovery strategy that focuses on progressive loading and addressing the underlying factors, aiming not just for healing, but for reducing that frustratingly high risk of re-injury.

Let’s delve into what a hamstring strain is, why it happens, bust some common myths about recovery, and outline how physiotherapy guides you back safely.

What Exactly IS a Hamstring Strain?

Your hamstrings aren’t just one muscle, but a group of three located at the back of your thigh:

• Biceps Femoris (on the outer side)
• Semitendinosus (more central/inner)
• Semimembranosus (deeper/inner)

These muscles cross both your hip and knee joints, playing crucial roles in bending your knee, extending your hip (pushing your leg back), and controlling leg movement during activities like running and jumping.

A “strain” or “pull” occurs when the muscle fibres are suddenly overloaded and stretched beyond their capacity, leading to microscopic or larger tears within the muscle tissue or where the muscle joins the tendon. Strains are often graded based on severity:

• Grade 1: Mild strain, small number of fibres affected, minimal strength loss, usually tender.
• Grade 2: Moderate strain, more fibres torn, noticeable pain and swelling, some strength loss.
• Grade 3: Severe strain or complete rupture, significant pain, swelling, bruising, major loss of function.

The most common site for a strain is the biceps femoris, often occurring during high-speed running when the muscle is working eccentrically (lengthening under load) to slow down the lower leg.

Why Do Hamstring Strains Happen? (It’s Not Just ‘Tightness’!)

While tight hamstrings can be a contributing factor for some, they are rarely the sole cause. More often, strains occur due to a combination of factors, including:

• Inadequate Strength: Particularly eccentric strength (the muscle’s ability to control lengthening).
• Muscle Imbalances: E.g., between hamstrings and quadriceps, or between different hamstring muscles.
• Fatigue: Tired muscles are less able to absorb force and control movement effectively.
• Poor Neuromuscular Control: How well your brain coordinates muscle activation and movement patterns.
• Inadequate Warm-up: Preparing the muscles for the demands of activity.
• Previous Hamstring Injury: This is a major risk factor for recurrence!
• Biomechanics: How you run or move.

Did You Know? Hamstring strains have one of the highest recurrence rates of all sporting injuries, with some studies suggesting up to one-third of athletes re-injure their hamstring within the first year after returning to sport. This highlights why thorough rehabilitation focused on addressing underlying deficits is absolutely crucial.

Myth Busting: Hamstring Strain Recovery

Let’s tackle some common misconceptions:

1. Myth: “I need complete rest until all the pain is gone.”
   • Reality: While you need to avoid aggravating activities initially (the POLICE principle – Protect, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression, Elevation – is useful early on), prolonged complete rest is detrimental. It leads to muscle weakness (atrophy), poorly organised scar tissue, and significantly increases re-injury risk. Early, pain-guided movement and progressive loading are vital for optimal healing and restoring function.
2. Myth: “I should start aggressively stretching it straight away to stop it getting stiff.”
   • Reality: Aggressive stretching in the acute phase (first few days) can actually damage the healing muscle fibres and increase bleeding/inflammation. Gentle range-of-motion exercises within pain limits are appropriate early on. Later, flexibility work might be part of the plan, but strengthening is far more critical for recovery and prevention.
3. Myth: “It just felt tight, that’s why it went.”
   • Reality: As discussed, while flexibility matters, factors like inadequate strength (especially eccentric), poor muscle endurance/fatigue resistance, and suboptimal movement control are often more significant contributors to hamstring strains than simple ‘tightness’.
4. Myth: “As soon as I can jog without pain, I’m good to go back to playing footy/netball/etc.”
   • Reality: Jogging is just one step. Returning to sports involving sprinting, sudden stops, changes of direction, or kicking requires much higher levels of hamstring strength, power, and control. A structured, progressive return-to-sport phase involving drills that replicate these demands is essential to bridge the gap and minimise re-injury risk. Rushing back is a recipe for another setback.

Did You Know? Exercises that specifically load the hamstrings while they are lengthening (eccentric exercises), such as Nordic hamstring curls or single-leg Romanian deadlifts, have been shown to be particularly effective in both rehabilitating hamstring strains and reducing the risk of future injury.

How Abound Physio Manages Your Hamstring Recovery

At Abound Physio in North Lakes, we guide you through a phased rehabilitation programme tailored to your specific injury grade and goals:

• Phase 1: Acute Management & Early Activation: Focus on protecting the injured tissue, managing pain and swelling (POLICE), and initiating very gentle, pain-free movements and muscle activation exercises (like isometric holds) to minimise muscle loss and promote early healing.
• Phase 2: Progressive Strengthening & Mobility: Gradually increasing the load on the hamstrings with exercises targeting strength in different ranges of motion (including eccentrics), improving neuromuscular control, restoring flexibility, and starting low-level cardiovascular exercise.
• Phase 3: Sport-Specific Training & Return to Play: Introducing exercises that mimic the demands of your sport or activity – running drills, sprinting, agility, jumping, kicking. Strength and power exercises become more intense. We carefully monitor your response to ensure you meet specific criteria before advising a safe return to full activity.
• Prevention Strategies: Educating you on risk factors and providing ongoing exercises or strategies to help prevent recurrence.

Active Recovery for a Resilient Return

A hamstring strain can be a significant setback, but taking an active, structured approach to rehabilitation offers the best chance for a full recovery and reduces the likelihood of that frustrating re-injury. It requires patience and commitment, but rebuilding robust, resilient hamstrings is achievable.

Ready to Actively Rehabilitate Your Hamstring with Abound Physio?

If you’ve sustained a hamstring strain, whether on the sports field or just going about your day in North Lakes or nearby, don’t leave your recovery to chance. Let the team at Abound Physio guide you through an evidence-based rehabilitation process.

Partner with Abound Physio for a stronger, more resilient return from your hamstring strain!