Pulled Hamstring / Hamstring Strain

What is a pulled hamstring / hamstring strain?

The hamstring muscle is a group of large, powerful muscles that span the back of the thigh, from the lower pelvis to the back of the shin bone. The hamstring is the important muscle that functions to extend the hip joint and flex the knee joint.
The hamstring is used in many sporting activities, as well as normal daily activities. Sports that commonly cause a hamstring injury are sprinting sports that involve sudden accelerations. These include track and field, soccer, and basketball.

A hamstring injury can also occur as a result of a direct blow to the muscle, such as being kicked in the back of the thigh, or falling on the back of the thigh. Hamstring contusions are different from pulled hamstrings, although they may cause similar symptoms.

What is a pulled hamstring?

A pulled hamstring, also called a hamstring strain, is a tear of the hamstring muscle fibers. In less severe hamstring strains, Grade I injuries, the tearing is microscopic. The muscle fibers are essentially stretched too far, and some bleeding occurs within the muscle. In very severe hamstring strains, severe Grade III injuries, the hamstring muscle can completely rupture, and may require surgery to repair the torn ends of the muscle.

Muscle strains and tears most commonly occur because of what is called an "eccentric contraction." When this occurs, the muscle is trying to contract while another force (the ground, another player, etc.) is forcing the muscle in the opposite direction. This creates tremendous force on the muscle, and if the force is strong enough, it will tear the muscle fibers.

What are the symptoms of a pulled hamstring?

The symptoms of a pulled hamstring depend on the severity of the injury. The hamstring injury is usually sudden and painful. Other common symptoms include:

• Bruising: Small tears within the muscle cause bleeding and subsequent bruising. The bruise begins in the back of the thigh, and as time passes the bruise will pass down below the knee and often into the foot.
• Swelling: The accumulation of blood from the hamstring injury causes swelling of the thigh. This can make further muscle contraction difficult and painful. Wearing a compressive bandage can help control the swelling.
• Spasm: Muscle spasm is a common and painful symptom of a hamstring injury. Because of the trauma to the muscle, signals of contraction are confused, and the muscle may be stimulated. If severe, muscle relaxants can help with spasms.
• Difficulty Contracting: Flexing the knee is often painful after a pulled hamstring, and can even prevent the patient from walking normally. If you are unable to contract the hamstring, the muscle may be completely ruptured.

What is the treatment of a pulled hamstring?

The immediate treatment of any muscle injury consists of the RICE protocol - rest, ice,compression, and elevation (never apply ice directly to the skin). This is aimed at reducing the bleeding and damage within the muscle tissue. Resting may be the common sense approach, but it is one that is often ignored by competitive athletes. This is unwise, since it does not take much to turn a grade one strain into a grade two, or a grade two strain into a grade three. As a general rule, grade one hamstring strains should be rested from sporting activity for about 3 weeks and grade two injuries for about 4 to 6 weeks. In the case of a complete rupture, the muscle will have to be repaired surgically and the rehabilitation afterwards will take about 3 months. Regardless of the level of the injury the treatment in the first five days is the same. The hamstring should be rested in an elevated position with an ice pack applied for twenty minutes every two hours, if practical (never apply ice directly to the skin). A compression bandage should be applied to limit bleeding and swelling in the tissues. After the first five days have been spent resting, more active rehabilitation can be started. Crutches may be necessary if walking is painful or if spasms are severe. If the pain is significant, or if the symptoms do not steadily resolve, medical evaluation should be obtained.

Grade 1

Sensation of cramp or tightness and a slight feeling of pain when the muscles are stretched or contracted.

Grade 2

With a grade two hamstring strain there is immediate pain which is more severe than the pain of a grade one injury. It is confirmed by pain on stretch and contraction of the muscle.

Grade 3

A grade three hamstring strain is a severe injury. There is an immediate burning or stabbing pain and the athlete is unable to walk without pain. The muscle is completely torn and there may be a large lump of muscle tissue above a depression where the tear is. After a few days with grade two and three injuries a large bruise may appear below the injury site caused by the bleeding within the tissues.

Courtesy of sportlink.co.uk