Hamstring Strains: How Do They Happen?

Feb. 20, 2013 - PRLog -- A hamstring strain is perhaps one of the most often heard reasons for sporting injury, especially in popular sports such as football. Understanding the reasons for hamstring injuries is very important, not only to help get on the road to recovery, but also to avoid them in the first place.

Hamstring muscles are prone to injury from a number of causes, and injury can cause anything from mild discomfort up to severe pain. Sometimes people can even find themselves unable to walk properly after a strain has occurred.  Incidents often involve a tear in one or more of the muscles that help to bend and flex the knee and move the thigh backwards at the hip. It is rare that a hamstring injury occurs as a result of contact, with the majority of strains happening during exercise. Instead injuries most often occur during rapid movements of the leg, resulting in a sharp pain whenever you either straighten your leg or contract it against resistance.

It is common for hamstring muscles to become injured during rapid exercise purely because of the actions involved when carrying it out. As the shin bone swings out, these muscles try to decelerate this rapid movement. At this point they are at their maximum length and at their highest level of effort, vastly increasing the likelihood of injury. As would be expected from an injury developed through rapid leg movement, strains are felt most often by professional athletes such as sprinters or hurdlers. However, sporting activities such as rugby and football can often be found to be a cause.

When a hamstring strain (http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/thigh-pa...) occurs, it is important that cold therapy is applied immediately and repeatedly in hourly intervals. Compression and elevation of the leg is also important to minimize intra muscular bleeding and swelling. It is important that before you get back into your exercise regime you stretch and strengthen the muscle to ensure you do not repeat the injury. If the injury is serious enough it may be sensible to seek out a sports injury specialist, who will carry out sports massage to treat hamstring strains.

Prevention of a hamstring strain (http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/thigh-pa...) is always better than any of the above treatment, meaning you will avoid the severe pain that can occur. However, if you are unlucky enough to become a victim of hamstring injury, Sports Injury Clinic has all the knowledge available to help you on the road to recovery.