When it comes to common injuries especially among athletes but also just for people who exercise regularly there is not much more common than the hamstring strain. A physio Subiaco will see multiple injuries of this type come through in just a week varying in how serious they are. A hamstring strain is when the muscle fibres in the hamstring area are torn from too much force or stretching. That is why it is especially common in people who power lift, do gymnastics, play football or rugby. A physio will place such an injury into one of three grades. The more serious, grade 3 is a complete tear and could require surgery before physio recovery has begun. Grade 2 is a partial tear and you will need physio help and 4 to 6 weeks to recover. Then grade 1 is the more minor example, a pull or strain that takes 2 to 3 weeks to recover from.

Causes of hamstring strains

The hamstrings are a collection of muscles on the reverse of the upper legs. They consist of the semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris muscles. Since the hamstrings cross the knee joints and hip, they are an important part of the movement at the knee and hip. When you see a physio West Perth or close to you, they will ask about what recent injuries and activities you have taken part in.

How do you know you have a tear?

It helps to understand the muscle group and to recognise when you have a tear of some kind and need treatment and recovery time. Otherwise, you can make the injury a lot worse and even end up needing surgery. Grade one or mild strains hurt but the pain is not severe. It might be hard to stand or walk and you have some bruising or tenderness in that area. Gradually the pain increases as you move to grade 2 and then grade 3 injuries. You might have felt severe and sudden pain when you were exercising and were injured and felt something pop or snap. When you straighten the leg, bend over or walk the pain is in the lower buttock area and the back of the thigh. A physio Subiaco needs to hear all the details about the moment the accident happened.

What a physio can do to help you recover

A physio West Perth and beyond has a lot of experience with helping active people and athletes to recover from hamstring injuries. When you see the physiotherapist their approach to treatment and recovery will include;

• Addressing the reason for the injury
• Assessing any muscular weakness and treating it
• Assessing the injury and making a diagnosis
• Offering different forms of therapy and treatment such as dry needling or manual manipulation
• Including exercise rehab as part of the plan and help create a plan for returning to your sport or workout without rushing it
• Helping your return to training with modifications to help prevent weakening the area and keep you free from injury
• Assessing your technique to help improve it and prevent recurring injuries
• Strengthening exercises that might include isolated leg curls, nordic lowers, split stance hip hinge, glute bridges, stiff leg deadlifts