A hamstring injury

A hamstring injury is a strain or tear to the tendons or large muscles at the back of the thigh. It's a common injury in athletes and can occur in different severities 

The hamstrings

The hamstrings are tendons (strong bands of tissue) at the back of the thighs that attach the large thigh muscle to the bone. The term "hamstring" also refers to the group of 3 muscles that run along the back of your thigh, from your hip to just below your knee. The hamstring muscles are not used much while standing or walking, but they're very active during activities that involve bending the knee, such as running, jumping and climbing

What is the function of the hamstrings? 

What is the function of the hamstrings? The hamstring muscles actively bend (flex) the knee. They also act to straighten or (extend) the hip (as in the motion of moving the thigh backward). Surprisingly, these large muscles are not very active with normal walking or standing. However, they are extremely important in power activities such as running, jumping, and climbing. Thus, sedentary individuals can get by with quite weak or deconditioned hamstrings, whereas athletes and very physically active individuals absolutely depend on healthy, wellconditioned hamstrings. what are types of hamstring injuries? Injuries to the hamstring group of muscles can range from a minor strain to a major rupture. 1- A minor strain is classified as a grade I tear 2- Grade II tears are partial ruptures. 3- complete rupture, or tear, is classified as a grade III tear. Severely torn muscle causes impaired function. Grade I injuries tend to be mild in that they tend to heal fully with only minor aggravation to the injured, especially in the sedentary individual. On the other hand, in power athletes, hamstring injuries can be severe and debilitating.

What is the mechanism of injury ? Two ways for injury 1 - A stretch-type injury to the hamstrings is caused by extensive hip flexion with an extended knee. ( ex: dancers ) 2 - Hamstring injuries during sprinting are most likely to occur due to excessive muscle strain caused by eccentric contraction during the late swing phase of the running gait cycle. (ex : runners ) What are risk factors for hamstring injury? Sports participation. Sports that require sprinting or running, or other activities such as dancing that might require extreme stretching, make a hamstring injury more likely. Prior hamstring injury. After you've had one hamstring injury, you're more likely to have another one, especially if you try to resume all your activities at pre-injury levels of intensity before your muscles have time to heal and rebuild strength. Poor flexibility. If you have poor flexibility, your muscles may not be able to bear the full force of the action required during certain activities. Muscle imbalance. Although not all experts agree, some suggest that a muscle imbalance may lead to hamstring injury. When the muscles along the front of your thigh — the quadriceps — become stronger and more developed than your hamstring muscles, you may be more likely to injure your hamstring muscles Syptoms according to serverity Mild hamstring strains (grade 1) will usually cause sudden pain and tenderness at the back of thigh. It may be painful to move your leg, but the strength of the muscle may not be affected. Partial hamstring tears (grade 2) are usually more painful and tender. There may also be some swelling and bruising at the back of thigh and may have lost some strength in leg. Severe hamstring tears (grade 3) will usually be very painful, tender, swollen and bruised. There may have been a "popping" sensation at the time of the injury and he'll be unable to use the affected leg. What is the treatment for hamstring injuries? Recovering from a hamstring injury may take days, weeks or months, depending on how severe it is. A completely torn hamstring may take several months to heal and may be unable to resume training or play sport during this time. Initial treatment During the first 2 or 3 days, you should care for your injury using RICE therapy:  Rest – keep your leg as still as you possibly can and avoid physical activity. Your GP may recommend using crutches in more severe cases.  Ice – apply cold packs (a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel will also work) to your hamstring for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours during the day. Do not apply ice directly to your skin.  Compression – compress or bandage the thigh to limit any swelling and movement that could cause further damage. You can use a simple elastic bandage or elasticated tubular bandage available from a pharmacy.  Elevation – keep your leg raised and supported on a pillow as much as possible, to help reduce any swelling.  Regular painkillers, such as paracetamol or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) cream or gel, may also help relieve the pain.  Short-term use of oral NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen tablets, can also help reduce swelling and inflammation the second stage of treatment (The role of physical therapy) This is the most important stage in the treatment stages, where the strength and flexibility of the muscle are restored in order to return to its performance and functional role before the injury. use of some manual therapy reduce pain and prevent the formation of scar tissue And strengthening and flexibility of some muscles affecting the hamstring muscles, which helps in the qualification of athletes to return to sport again, such as the quadriceps , calf , adductor magenus muscles Then physical therapy performs some exercises that make the hamstring muscles strong in eccenteic contraction and some stretche To avoid injuring yourself again