Rehabilitation of Hamstring Strains
PHASE I: ACUTE PHASE
Goals: Diminish pain and inflammation
Gradually improve flexibility and ROM
Retard muscular atrophy and strength loss
Enhance healing of muscular strain
Immediately following injury:
• Cryotherapy, compression wrap
• High voltage stimulation to control swelling
• Light massage when tolerable (day 2-3)
• ROM exercises:
-Seated active and passive knee extension
-Gradually decrease hip flexion angle
-Initiate hamstring stretch (gentle and gradual as tolerated)
• Stretch hip flexors, quadriceps, calf and hip adductors
• Strengthening exercises:
-Quad sets
-Straight leg raises (3 directions)
-Active knee extensions
-Toe calf raises
-Isometric hamstring contractions (knee flexion 45°)
-Bicycle when able
• Stretch and ROM exercises: perform post-exercises regimen
• Modalities for pain
PHASE II: SUBACUTE PHASE
Goals: Improve flexibility and ROM
Enhance muscular strength and endurance
Promote healing of injured structures
Control any inflammation and pain
• Superficial heat to injured hamstring or contrast heat/cold
• Ultrasound over injured area
• Soft tissue mobilization and massage
• Active warm-up bicycle
• Stretch lower extremity musculature – manual & self-stretches
(stretch hamstrings seated and supine)
• Initiate isotonic strengthening program
-Leg press
-Hip abd/add
-Hip flex/ext
-Knee extensions
-Wall squats
-Hamstring curls
-Front lunges
-Lateral lunges
-Backward lunges
-Lateral step-overs
-Forward/backward step-overs
-Toe-calf raises
• Initiate core stabilization drills (abdominal and back)
• Stairmaster
• Initiate proprioception drills
• May initiate pool exercises and running in pool
• Stretch
• Cryotherapy
• Use neoprene sleeve following workouts
PHASE III: DYNAMIC PHASE
Goals: Improve dynamic (ballistic) flexibility of hamstrings
Normalize static flexibility
Normalize muscular strength
• Active warm-up – bicycle or jog
• Stretch all major muscle groups lower extremity
(stretch hamstrings seated and supine)
• Continue strengthening exercises listed above
• Initiate ballistic stretching maneuvers
-Plyometric leg press
-Fast speed hamstring work with sport cord
-Plyo front lunges
-Scissor jumps
-Scissor jumps onto box
-Side to side box jumps (plyos)
-Skip lunges
-Fast speed lateral step-overs
-Knee high running (forward) (ropes)
• Stretch after workout
• Cryotherapy
• Consider neoprene sleeve during drills
PHASE IV: SPORTS SPECIFIC AND AGILITY DRILL PHASE
Goals: Normalize ballistic flexibility
Normalize muscular strength and agility
Gradual return to spot participation
• Active warm-up or jog
• Stretch all lower extremity muscles
• Continue strengthening program
• Continue selected ballistic stretching drills
• Initiate sport specific program
-Side shuttles
-Carciacos
-Backward running
-Forward running
-Interval running
-Progress to sprints
-Running and cutting drills
-Gradually increase intensity of running
Jog run sprint
• Stretch following drills
• Consider neoprene sleeve during drills
• Gradually return to sport participation
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