Hamstring Injury – Part 1 - Health Plus Digest

Your hamstring muscles run down the back of your upper legs and actually are more than one muscle. The hamstring group is made up of a group of three muscles that attach at the pelvis, cross over the knee and attach again at the lower leg. These three muscles are responsible for helping you to extend your leg and bend your knee. The three muscles are called the Semitendinosus, Semimembransus and Biceps Femoris. Although they cross the knee and attach on the lower leg in different areas, they all start at the ischial tuberosity on the lower pelvis.

An injury is most common in athletes who participate in sports that require a quick take off such as sprinters, track athletes, basketball or soccer. Other sports that require more stretching of the muscle, like dancing or gymnastics, will also increase your risk of developing a hamstring injury.

Not only a particular sport will increase your risk but also a lack of flexibility in the hamstrings or the opposing muscle group, the quadriceps. Poor flexibility will reduce the ability of the muscle to bear the full force of action of your activities. A previous hamstring injury or sprain will increase your risk, as will muscle imbalance – when the opposing group of muscles (quadriceps) are over or under developed compared to the hamstring muscles.

There are three levels of strain – a Grade 1 in which there is a mild muscle strain. Grade 2 results in a partial muscle tear and Grade 3 is a complete muscle tear. Recovery and treatment will depend in part on the grade of the injury, the sport to which you are returning, your ability to maintain rehabilitation and your previous level of athletic activity or functional ability.

Resources:

MedlinePlus: Hamstring Strain

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000551.htm

SportsInjuryClinic: Hamstring Strain

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/thigh-pain/hamstring-strain

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: Hamstring Mucls Injureis

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00408

MayoClniic: Hamstring Injury

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hamstring-injury/basics/definition/con-20035144

KidsHealth: Hamstring Strain

http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/hamstring_strain.html