Here are some hamstring strain exercises that you can try. The exercises may be recommended to treat a condition or to help someone get better. Slowly start each move. If you start to feel pain, slow down on the exercises. You will be told when to start these exercises and which will help you the most.
What Is A Strain On The Hamstrings?
The biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus are three muscles that run down the back of your leg from your thigh to your knee. These muscles help you bend your knee and extend your hip. They are called the hamstring as a whole. A hamstring strain sometimes called a “pulled hamstring,” happens when one or more of these muscles get stretched too far and start to tear.
How Do You Tell If You Have A Hamstring Strain?
A trainer could diagnose a hamstring strain on the sidelines or a physical therapist. A hamstring strain is another common reason to see a doctor. The doctor will look at your leg and ask you how it got hurt and how much pain you are in.
Grade 1: This strain is pretty good. You might feel a little pain when you move your leg, but it won’t be too bad, and there won’t be much swelling.
Grade 2: One or more hamstring muscles have been partially torn. This could make you walk with a limp and hurt when you move around. You might get some swelling and bruises, and you might be unable to straighten your leg.
Grade 3: One or more of the hamstring muscles are completely torn. You’ll feel pain and won’t be able to straighten your leg all the way, and you’ll notice swelling right away. It will be hard to walk, and you may need crutches.
How Can A Hamstring Strain Be Avoided?
The best way to prevent hamstring injuries is to keep your muscles in good shape. Here are some things you can do to help prevent them (and other sports injuries):
Warm up right before you work out or do something physically demanding. Do some jumping jacks or run in place for a minute or two to get your muscles moving. Then do some dynamic stretching. Ask your coach or a trainer how to do it. After you play, do some static stretches where you gently stretch your muscles and hold each stretch for 30 seconds or more.
Always keep your muscles strong and flexible. Get regular exercise and start a good stretching program so that your muscles won’t be shocked when you do a hard workout.
Slowly increase the length and intensity of your workouts. A good rule of thumb is to add at most 10% to the number of miles you run or the amount of time you spend playing a sport each week.
If your thigh hurts, stop what you’re doing right away. If you think you pulled your hamstring, give it time to rest, and don’t go back to your activity until your leg feels strong, there’s no pain, and you can move your injured leg as freely as the other.
How Do You Treat A Pulled Hamstring?
The good news is that surgery is only needed for the most severe muscle tears. Most hamstring strains heal on their own or with a little physical therapy.
How To Do The Workouts
Hamstring Set (Heel Dig)
- Slide 1 of 6 shows a picture of the hamstring set (heel dig) exercise (heel dig),
- Sit with the leg that hurts bent. Your good leg should be straight and rest on the floor.
- Pressing your heel into the floor will tighten the hamstring muscles on the back of your bent leg.
- Hold for about 6 seconds, then take a break for up to 10 seconds.
- Eight to twelve times.
Curl The Hamstring
- Pictures of the hamstring curl exercise on slide 2 of 6
- Lay on your stomach with straight knees. Put a pillow under your belly. If your kneecap hurts, roll up a washcloth and put it just above your kneecap on your leg.
- Bending your knee and bringing your foot up toward your buttock will help you lift the foot of the leg that hurts. If this moves hurts, try it without bending your knee quite as far. This could keep you from doing anything that hurts.
- Move your leg slowly up and down.
- Do this 8–12 times.
Hip Movement
- Pictures of the hip extension exercise on slide 3 of 6
- Stand with your back to a wall and your hands about chest-high on the wall.
- Kick your hurt leg straight back behind you while keeping the knee straight.
- Relax and put your leg back where it started.
- Do this 8–12 times.
You can add resistance when you can do this exercise easily and without pain. For this:
Make a loop with an exercise band by tying the ends together. Attach one end of the loop to something secure or close the door to keep it from moving. (Or you could have someone hold one end of the loop to provide resistance.)
This is indeed among the best hamstring strain exercises.
Loop the other end of the exercise band around the lower part of your injured leg.
Repeat steps 1 through 4. Slowly pull back on the exercise band with your leg.
Stretch your hamstrings.
Stretching Calf
- For hamstring strain exercises Do Calf stretch, Slide 5 of 6: Pictures of calf stretch exercises,
- Face a wall and put your hands on it about where your eyes are. Put the leg that hurts about a step behind the other leg.
- Keep your back leg straight and your back heel on the floor. Bend your front knee and gently move your hip and chest toward the wall until you feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg.
- For 15 to 30 seconds, hold the stretch.
- Two to four times.
- Steps 1–4 should be repeated, but your back knee should bend this time.
Follow-up care is a key part of your care and safety. Make sure to keep all of your appointments and go to them. If you need advice, call your doctor or nurse.
Follow These Steps To Heal A Hamstring Strain:
As soon as possible after an injury, use the RICE formula:
Rest. Limit how much you walk, and if your doctor tells you to, try not to put weight on your leg.
Ice. Use ice or a cold compress 48 hours after an injury to help reduce swelling. This should start immediately after the injury and continue every 3 to 4 hours for 20 to 30 minutes until the swelling disappears. Wrap the ice or ice pack up in a towel. Don’t put ice or ice packs on the skin because it can damage the tissues.
Compress. If your doctor tells you to, use elastic bandages or sports wraps to help support your leg and keep the swelling down. Doctors say elastic compression bandages are better than compression shorts because they can be adjusted as needed.
