Hamstring Injury What is a hamstring injury?
A hamstring injury is an injury that occurs due to a strain, pull or tear of the muscles or
tendons at the back of the thigh (NHS, 2017). This injury is generally graded according
to its severity. Grade 1 is a mild muscle pull or strain; grade 2 is a partial muscle tear,
and grade 3 is a complete or severe muscle tear (Poudel & Pandey, 2023). In most
cases, hamstring injuries take place in the central part of the muscle or where the
fibers of the muscle join the tender fibers.
Symptoms
Sharp pain at the back of the thigh when bending or
straightening the leg, along with a popping or snapping feeling.
Tenderness, bruising and swelling in the back of the thigh.
Weakness in the hamstring and leg
Anatomy and Resulting Damage
The hamstring muscles are found at the back of the thigh, and they are made up of three important
muscles: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris (OrthoInfo, 2024). Together, these muscles
help people to bend their knees and extend their legs when doing activities such as walking, running and
kicking. Damage in the hamstring muscles can occur when there is an extreme pull, strain, or tear in one of
the three muscles or their tendons. The severity of the damage can range from a mild strain to a complete
muscle tear, which often takes several months to heal.
Muscle overload is usually the main cause of hamstring
injury (OrthoInfo, 2024). This often happens when the
hamstring muscle is challenged with a sudden load or when
it is stretched or pulled beyond its capacity. In football,
muscle overload can happen when players sprint, kick the
ball, tackle opponents or suddenly change their directions,
Mechanism of Injury
causing the hamstring muscles to experience sudden load or
overstretch beyond their capacity. Immediate Care
The following are some of the steps that can be taken
immediately after experiencing a hamstring injury:
1. Rest: Stop any physical activity immediately to
prevent further damage. Keep the leg still and avoid
any movement.
2. Ice: Put ice packs (wrapped in a piece of cloth) on the
hamstring for 15-20 minutes after every two to three
hours during the first forty-eight hours to reduce
swelling and pain. Do not use the ice packs directly
Risk Factors on the skin.
3. Compression: Use an elastic bandage to compress
Previous hamstring injury the injured area gently to reduce swelling.
Inadequate warm-up 4. Elevation: Slightly raise your legs when sitting to
Muscle imbalance minimize swelling.
Muscle fatigue
Strength imbalance
Reduced hip extension
Leg-length differences (People with shorter legs
have tight hamstrings)
Treatment Recommended Return to Play Criteria
Returning to strenuous physical exercise too quickly can make the injury worse,
Treatment for a hamstring injury generally depends on the seriousness of the
injury. Grade 1 (mild muscle strain) and grade 2 (partial muscle tear) are while avoiding physical exercise for a long period can make the hamstring
generally managed nonoperatively with adequate rest, ice packs, relative muscle to shrink, forming a scar around the affected area (NHS, 2017). In order
immobilization and management of pain and inflammation with analgesics and to prevent this, athletes are advised to engage in gentle hamstring stretches
NSAIDs (Poudel & Pandey, 2023). This is usually followed by gentle stretching and exercises, such as walking and cycling, a few days after the pain has
and strengthening exercises (Poudel & Pandey, 2023).
reduced. One can return to a full-level activity once the hamstring muscles are
For grade 3 (complete muscle tear), surgery is often performed to repair the
strong enough.
injured muscle (Poudel & Pandey, 2023). Physical therapy is also recommended
to restore the functioning, flexibility and strength of the injured muscle.
Tips that Football Players can use to Prevent Hamstring
Injury Exercise regularly to improve muscle strength
Warm up and stretch before a match
Stop exercising or running if you feel any pain in the back of the thigh
References
Poudel, B., & Pandey, S. Hamstring Injury. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL).
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