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How quickly you recover from a hamstring strain depends on the severity of the injury and, most importantly, what you do during the recovery process.
‘Just rest it’ is not enough to treat a hamstring strain, and being too inactive can actually slow down healing and increase the risk of future injuries. As you take a break from intensive activities, you also need to progressively stretch and strengthen your hamstrings to speed up healing and make it more resilient.
Working with a physio is the best way to recover from a strained hamstring. At Ace Sports Clinic Toronto, we’ve helped elite athletes quickly and safely get back to playing after injuring their hamstrings using physio and other manual therapies. In addition to physio, there are steps you can take at home to quickly recover from a hamstring strain.
How Does a Hamstring Strain Happen?
Your hamstring is located at the back of your thigh, extending from the hip to just below the knee. It consists of three muscles that allow the hips to extend backwards (hip extension) and the knee to bend (knee flexion).
The hamstring plays a crucial role when you walk, run, jump, or squat. When playing sports, these muscles have to withstand a lot of force when you kick, change direction, decelerate, or jump.
If the force exceeds what the hamstring can handle, it over-stretches and tears. That’s how a hamstring strain, or a pulled hamstring, happens.
Hamstring injuries are most common in sprinting, basketball, soccer, tennis and rugby. These sports are explosive, require sudden changes in direction, and demand a lot of agility, which puts the hamstrings under a lot of strain, leading to injuries.
When you strain your hamstring, you’ll feel a sudden sharp pain at the back of your thigh, sometimes accompanied by a tearing or popping sensation if the tear is severe. Bruising, swelling, and more pain may set in hours after the injury.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Strained Hamstring?
Strained hamstring recovery time depends on how severe the injury is. There are three grades of hamstring injuries: grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3, with recovery time varying from a few days to several months.
A grade 1 hamstring strain is mild, and the pain is not that bad; you can still walk, though more intensive movements like running can worsen the pain.
A grade 2 hamstring strain is more painful, and the swellingis more noticeable. A grade 3 hamstring injury is the worst, with serious pain, swelling, and bruising. Mobility is greatly limited, and treatment may involve surgery to repair torn muscles.
Only a physio can accurately assess the severity of a hamstring strain. If you are experiencing severe and persistent pain, talk to a physio so you can get started on a recovery plan as soon as possible.
How to Recover from Hamstring Injury: 4 Tips for Fast Recovery
1. Do the R.I.C.E Protocol Immediately After the Injury
RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The goal of the RICE protocol is to manage pain and swelling immediately after the injury.
- Resting keeps the injury and pain from getting worse. Stop playing immediately and avoid putting a lot of weight on the injured leg.
- Ice provides quick pain relief after a hamstring strain. Place an ice pack over the injured area for 15-20 minutes every couple of hours. Use within the first 24-48 hours.
- Compressing the injured area reduces swelling, increases blood flow, and provides additional support. You can use a compression wrap, bandage, or compression sleeve.
- Elevating your injured leg helps drain fluids from the injured area, which reduces swelling and pain. It also improves blood flow for quicker recovery.
2. Progressive Exercises for Hamstring Strain
Staying active is a crucial part of recovery from a strained hamstring. It maintains good blood flow, makes the hamstring less stiff (which reduces pain), and makes the muscles stronger.
But you have to do it right. Overload your hamstring and you could find yourself back to square one. You’ll want to start slowly and progressively increase the load on your hamstring. A physio can help you find the best and safest exercises for a hamstring strain.
Eccentric exercises are especially effective at rehabilitating and strengthening a strained hamstring. These workouts make the hamstring muscles stronger when they are in the eccentric (stretched) phase, which is when a lot of injuries occur.
Some good eccentric exercises include the nordic curl and bridge curl. Here’s a short video of a nordic curl. If you don’t have someone to hold your feet, you can wedge them under a loaded barbell.
3. Gradually Increase Movement
Beyond the exercises you do with your physio, it’s also good to start moving around at home more and more.
Start by taking short walks, then see if you can do brisk walks without discomfort. You can also try some light hamstring strain stretches to improve flexibility and range of motion. Ask your physio when you can start more intense activities like running, swimming, or cycling.
No matter which movement you are doing, start gently and gradually increase intensity and duration.
4. Condition Your Body to Prevent Re-injury
The best way to prevent future hamstring strains is to make your hamstrings stronger and able to handle more force without tearing.
Progressive exercises, stretches, and movements like walking and running are all great at conditioning the hamstrings to prevent future injuries.
But your hamstring doesn’t work in isolation, so don’t just focus on it and forget to condition your entire body.
If you don’t have good hip flexibility, it increases the risk of straining your hamstrings. The same is true if you don’t have proper pelvic control, meaning you stick out your bum or round your back when running or playing. It puts extra strain on your hamstrings, making them more likely to tear.
A physio can help you with exercises that improve your overall form and reduce the risk of other sports injuries, not just hamstring strains.
How Ace Sports Clinic Can Help You Recover Quickly from A Hamstring Strain
At Ace, our team of experts work together to assess your injury and provide a personalized care plan that gets you back to full fitness quickly, while also preventing future injuries.
Contact us on 1-833-266-5223 to talk to a physio and learn more about our tailored hamstring strain treatment plans.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified professional for personalised guidance based on your specific needs and circumstances.