Physical Therapy For A Hamstring Strain
Curious if physical therapy for a hamstring strain might work?
The hamstring is the grouping of muscles in the back of the thigh. It works with your glutes and is mainly responsible for helping you to be able to bend your knee.
Straining it is common, so chances are you have possibly experienced this type of injury before. It is painful too! A hamstring strain happens when the muscle or muscles have been worked too hard. It can be caused by running, jumping or abrupt starts and stops.
[Related article: Physical Therapy For Common Sports Injuries]
It is best to prevent it if you can. Warm up all your leg muscles, including those not only in the back, but in the front. Strengthening your glutes also helps to prevent hamstring strains.
[Related article: How To Prepare For a Hike: 4 Great Stretches]
Symptoms of a Hamstring Strain
If you have any of these symptoms, it is possible you may have experienced a hamstring strain:
- pain that ranges from mild to severe
- difficulty walking or standing
- pain that comes on suddenly while exercising that is accompanied by a feeling that is like snapping or popping
- back of thigh pain
- pain in the lower buttock
- soreness
- bruising
Physical Therapy For A Hamstring Strain
The good news is that these injuries will heal on their own, but you could have your physical therapist diagnose it so you know what you are dealing with. Your physical therapist can also help you find ways to speed up your healing.
He or she may recommend:
- rest
- ice
- elevation
- safe ways to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the leg and surrounding muscles
When you first visit the physical therapist for a hamstring strain, he or she will evaluate your condition, ask some questions about your health history and also ask you how you believe that you may have been injured. Your physical therapist will also ask about the symptoms and pain that you are experiencing. He or she may examine the hamstring and surrounding tissue. Your PT will measure the range of motion in your leg and see how much you can move it.
If you have a hamstring strain, your physical therapist will be able to tell that by seeing limited motion and flexibility around your hip and knee joints. They’ll determine how strong your leg is and may ask you to walk, jump, and/or stair step to evaluate the extent of your injury. They may also check your balance which could be an indicator of the extent of the injury as well.
Goals of Physical Therapy For a Hamstring Injury
The main goals of physical therapy for a hamstring injury are to restore normal range of motion, help alleviate pain, keep swelling and bruising down, regain your strength, and prevent further injury. It is likely you will recover faster with physical therapy for a hamstring strain.
Now that you know more about how physical therapy can help your hamstring injury…
…contact the team at Fusion Rehab for guidance in helping to speed up your recovery. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.