Hamstring injury is a pressure or tear in the large muscles at the back of the thigh. These injuries are very common and can occur in three severity levels:
- Level 1, pulled or mild muscle tension.
- Level 2, partial muscle tear.
- Level 3, complete muscle tears.
Hamstring is a tendon or a fiber connective tissue that connects muscle tissue to the bones. The word ‘”hamstring” also refers to the 3 muscles that stretch behind the thighs, ranging from the hips to the bottom of the knee.
In general, hamstring muscles are not widely used while standing and walking. However, this muscle will become very active when someone performs activities such as jumping, climbing, bending the knee, and running.
Hamstring injuries often occur in athletes, especially in running, basketball and football. However, hamstring injuries can also occur in other sports athletes. The time required for the recovery period varies depending on the severity of the injury.
When a person is affected by a hamstring injury, some of the muscles are overloaded and lead to tears. This condition may arise when doing activities that involve a lot of running or jumping activities suddenly.
Symptoms of Hamstring injury
- Hamstring injuries are usually painless accompanied by a torn sensation or dropouts at the back of the thighs suddenly.
- Swelling, pain, and bruising may also appear behind the thigh as the weakening of the muscles and loss of the ability to hold the load on the injured part.
Hamstring injury causes

The main cause of the injury is because the hamstring muscles stretch beyond the limit when performing certain activities, such as running or jumping.
Some factors can increase the risk of hamstring injury, among which are:
- Sports. Sport activities, such as running, risk causing hamstring injuries.
- History of hamstring injuries. Someone who has ever injured hamstring is more risky to experience it again.
- Poor muscle flexibility. This condition makes the muscles can not withstand the load or pressure during activity.
- Unbalanced muscle development. Some experts argue that the susceptible hamstring injuries occur if the front thigh muscles (quadriceps) are stronger than hamstring muscles.
Hamstring Injury Diagnosis
Diagnosis of hamstring injuries is determined based on medical interviews and physical examinations. Radiological examination with MRI is quite accurate to help the diagnosis of hamstring injuries, although not a necessity.
Hamstring Injury Treatment
Hamstring injuries are required not to perform heavy activities until the muscles recover again. In addition, there are several ways that can be taken to deal with hamstring injury namely:
- Consumption of medications to reduce pain and swelling.
- Compress with ice cubes, do several times a day to reduce pain and swelling.
- Using a crutch so that the injured leg does not sustain the body weight entirely.
- Bind and lift the injured leg to minimize swelling.
- Surgery to reattach the hamstring muscles is fully attracted from the pelvic bones or dry bones. Surgery can also handle ripped muscles quite badly.
- Physical therapy, with exercises that are designed to increase flexibility and strengthen hamstring muscles.
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How to prevent hamstring injuries
There are several things that you can do to prevent the occurrence of hamstring muscle injury, namely:
- Do stretch or light stretching movements every day. Take a moment to wake up, in the midst of a laborious working time, as well as the body is experiencing tension due to work, congestion, or distant travel.
- Always warm up the movement before exercising and cooling after exercising appropriate and adequate according to the type of exercise you are doing.
- Maintain the body’s fitness condition to prevent muscle fatigue.
- Practice wisely. Exercise according to body ability. The level of intensity and frequency of exercises gradually when the body is ready.
- Use sport equipment, especially sports shoes, that are appropriate and fit the exercises you do. Good and precise shoes will reduce your risk of injury.
- Avoid activity / exercising before actually recovering from injuries. Come back to practice gradually.
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