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Tuesday, April 1, 2008
How to Prevent Hamstring Strains
Central Oklahoma, OK
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With the return of spring, there’s always an increase in muscle-related disorders of the lower extremity particularly involving hamstring strains in running athletes.
The hamstring is a dynamic muscle involved in runners acting as both a decelerator of the lower leg as it swings forward during the running cycle, as well as a powerful propeller by extending the hip once the leg makes contact with the ground. This kind of high end muscular use predisposes athletes that sprint to this type of injury more than any other.
So what can one do to prevent this type of injury?
First, one must try and balance the ratio of strength between the quadriceps and the hamstrings. If the quadriceps are overpowering in its strength in relation to the hamstring, it places undue increased load demands on the hamstring. Thus, strengthening exercises in the off-season prior to the initiation of your season can go a long way to preventing injury.
Now, no discussion of injury prevention could be complete without the discussion of a stretching program. It is important to maintain muscular flexibility of not only the hamstrings, but also the quadriceps, iliotibial band of the side of the thigh, and the gluteals. This stretching routine should also be established in the off-season, as it requires time to establish muscular flexibility. Prior to practice or competition, it is also important to do more than the slow, static stretches. Dynamic plyometric stretches that actively elongate the muscles are extremely effective in preparing the athlete’s muscles for the demands of the competition and help prevent injury.
Some commonly overlooked aspects of hamstring injury prevention for an athlete are the strengthening of core trunk stabilizers such as the abdominals, gluteals, and hip stabilizers such as the gluteus medius.
Increased strength in these areas can help increase pelvic control during sprinting and decrease poor running technique and stride imbalances that can predispose an athlete to hamstring injuries. Additional precautions should also be taken for athletes, who are overpronators or considered to have “flat feet,” such as motion control running shoes or specialized orthotics.
Even with the best in prevention and off-season programs, hamstring injuries in athletes are still possible.
So what should an athlete do if they experience this type of injury?
An injured athlete should immediately apply the P.R.I.C.E. principles.
Protection: use crutches if necessary.
Rest: Discontinuing running activities until symptoms are mild.
Ice: Apply ice or cold packs 20 minutes per application every two hours.
Compression / Elevation: Utilize compression wraps with elevation of the leg to decrease any swelling.
Cessation of running if severe pain is experienced until it is mild in nature is necessary, and can take up to a couple of weeks. Once symptoms are mild, an athlete can resume running activities that are of a reduced training load and intensity such as 10 running sets of 60 meters at 50 percent intensity. This is gradually increased over a three-to-five day span until the athlete can sprint at 100 percent intensity without any pain.
A referral from a physician to a physical therapist can significantly reduce the recovery time from this type of injury.
A physical therapist can utilize ultrasound and electrical stimulation, coupled with massage techniques to decrease scar tissue and re-orient muscle fibers following the injury. A physical therapist can also help guide the sprinter through exercises for pain-free return to running, as well as future injury prevention.
Feel free to contact Kahn Nirschl at knirschl@ptcentral.org for any questions. Or check www.ptcentral.org for a stretching and strengthening program to prevent hamstring strains.
Kahn Nirschl, PT, DPT, OCS is the owner of Physical Therapy Central in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He specializes in sports medicine, orthopedics, and manual therapy.
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