Leg

Hamstring muscles strain
A muscle strain is a mechanical stress that occurs when a muscle is suddenly and intensely stretched and the fibres within are not able to cope with the load applied. As a result, the muscle fibres can tear. There are 3 hamstrings muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus) which are located at the back of the thigh. Symptoms of a hamstring muscle strain are usually described as a sudden “popping” tearing feeling that occurs in the back of the thigh. Swelling and bruising can be present within a few hours or over a few days after the injury. Pain, local tenderness, loss of movement and decreased hamstring strength are common signs and symptoms. The two main methods of injury are from high-speed sprinting or overstretching of the muscle during sport. There are different degrees of injury with a common classification being grading from 1 to 3 with 1) mild strain, able to walk as normal with mild to moderate pain 2) moderate pain and struggling to walk and 3) this is a serious injury, you will struggle put weight through the leg. Your physiotherapist will be able to diagnose the degree of injury and initiate the treatment needed to get you back performing as early as possible. The biggest risk factor for any muscle injury is a previous injury to those muscles and as such it is very important that excellent rehabilitation is carried out to avoid a re-injury in the future.