The hamstrings, which are structures of muscle at the back of the thighs, are some of the best-known parts of the musculoskeletal anatomy. The three muscles that make up each hamstring are large, very strong, and crucial for movement, but they are commonly subject to injury. Any activity involving running, for example, can result in a pulled hamstring – they make up close to a quarter of all injuries sustained in some sports, and can put you out of competition for weeks at a time.
If you strain your hamstring, the right physical therapy regimen is your best bet for faster recovery. At JAG Physical Therapy, patients throughout the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania area trust us for comprehensive sports injury rehab. We focus on relieving pain and restoring strength, flexibility, and functionality. We use custom treatment plans to make sure everyone receives effective rehabilitation that fits their lifestyle and moreover, we aim to help you prevent future injuries as well. Book your appointment today to get started or view more below on PT treatment for hamstring injuries.
What Are the Stages of Hamstring Strain Recovery?
A hamstring strain usually happens when the hip flexes too far with the knee extended. In other words, you are most at risk of pulling your hamstring while you are sprinting. However, an awkward or sudden movement even while going slower can put enough force on the hamstring to make part of it tear. Of the muscles that make up the hamstrings, it’s usually the biceps femoris that is injured in this way.
Depending on how much the muscles get overextended, how great of an impact is involved, whether the hamstring is weakened from a previous condition, and other factors, the strain may be considered mild, moderate, or severe. A mild hamstring strain is one in which some muscle fibers are damaged, but few or none are actually torn apart. This grade results in low-level pain and tenderness and occasionally swelling, causing awkward walking but otherwise not affecting mobility, and takes about one to two weeks at most to fully heal.
In a moderate hamstring strain, some parts of the muscles or tendons have tears, while the rest remains intact, meaning that significant pain, bruising, and reduced strength and range of motion will occur. A strain at this level will require medical care. Healing can take anywhere from several weeks to about three months, although an effective PT regimen can potentially make recovery faster.
A severe hamstring strain is one in which the muscles and tendons are completely severed, causing very high levels of pain and immobilizing the affected leg. This degree of strain often needs surgery to be repaired, and in any case, the recovery period will take at least several months. Supportive care including physical therapy should be used for severe hamstring strains to help the patient build leg function back up.
Whether the recovery period for a pulled hamstring is measured in days or in months, there will always be a gradual increase in activity levels. Since this kind of injury affects a function as basic as walking, a lot of rest is necessary at the start, with the leg able to bear increasing amounts of weight as the tissue rebuilds.
How Does Physical Therapy Help Heal a Hamstring Strain?
Physical therapy is useful in cases of hamstring strains in a large number of ways. First among these is helping to restore motion of the leg – a pulled hamstring can disrupt your life by causing difficulty with walking, so tackling this symptom will let you get back to normal faster. Moreover, manual therapy techniques such as massage and compression are excellent for pain relief, promoting circulation, and reducing swelling.
Strength training under the guidance of a PT will help you bounce back while preventing further injuries and, if you’re an athlete, return to playing when you’re ready. And for the more severe forms of hamstring strain, advanced modalities like neuromuscular therapy can restore coordination and normal movement by helping the nerves and muscles to once again work in combination. Altogether, every case of a pulled hamstring needs to be treated slightly differently, so the exact PT techniques used will depend not only on the severity of the injury but the patient’s lifestyle and other needs.
When Should You Start Physical Therapy for a Hamstring Strain?
If you have incurred a mild form of pulled hamstring that didn’t require immediate medical attention, you may want to begin physical therapy in the week or two after your injury, after the acute pain is gone but while you may still be dealing with swelling, aches, or a little difficulty with moving. This is especially a good idea in order to reduce your odds of getting the same injury in the future.
Meanwhile, if you have a hamstring strain for which you had to see a doctor or get urgent medical treatment, you should only begin PT once advised by a medical professional. However, once you are ready, don’t delay PT treatment even if your condition has improved since your injury. A good physical therapy plan will only make your recovery time faster, as well as lowering the risk of prolonged pain and long-term muscle weakness or range of motion issues.
How Can JAG Physical Therapy Support Your Hamstring Recovery?
The skilled therapists at JAG PT are passionate about helping all our patients feel and move better, and we are especially experienced at treating athletes who play at all levels. Since hamstring strains are such a common problem among physically active people, we’ve been able to use many physical therapy methods in combination to treat the various forms of this issue for people from all walks of life. At our state-of-the-art clinic locations, you’ll benefit from our patient-centered approach as well as the many specialized treatments we have available in order to improve motion and flexibility and resolve pain in the hamstring.
Get Back to Full Strength with JAG Physical Therapy
When you strain your hamstring, early intervention is key to getting healthy and moving normally sooner. However, you’ll also need experienced care – and at JAG Physical Therapy, we have helped countless patients fully heal from pulled hamstrings and often get back on the playing field to compete as hard as ever. Schedule an appointment today to get evaluated and start your effective, custom hamstring injury treatment plan.