Sorry another hamstring thread

[thomson_adam]

right here goes

i pulled my hamstring about 4 weeks back and after one week decided i was fit to play football again ,well sure enough bang ... it went again and this time alot worse. its not been 3 weeks and its getting better but really slowly.

i have been doing stretches and applying heat from a head pack along with deep heat which doesnt seem to work.

i really want to be playing again soon as possible as we have a cup match comming up.
what can i do to increase the recovery process.

i can do light jogging and have also done a session on legs at the gym which included ... dead lifts and hamstring curls

[Heidi]

Hi

How bad was the injury? Was there any brusing? Swelling? Could you walk?

In order to get back to playing and to prevent it happening again you really need to ensure that the hamstrings are in really good condition before you start playing again.

I would recommend getting at least 2-3 really good sports massages. This will help with healing and also ensure that any scar tissue (which is inelastic and so reduces flexibility) is broken down and that the new muscle fibres are aligned correctly.

Stretching is obviously very important too. You should be aiming to stretch at least 3 times every day.

Once you can feel no pain from the hamstrings, start some gentle strengthening. Using a resistance band is great, or if you have a gym membership use the leg press and knee curl machines. Start very gently though. Other things to consider include eccentric strengthening. This is strengthening the hamstrings when they are lengthening. Have a look at our hamstring strain pages for more info:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/hamstrings/hamstringstrain.htm

When you start to run again, start off gently and slowly. Build up speed and then gradually add in sprints and changes of direction last as they are the most likely to cause injury.

Good luck!

[thomson_adam]

it hurt quite bad at the time , i could hardly walk but couldnt run by any chance.

i have been trying to strenghen it at the gym but i dont know if i am over doing it ?

will heat help it ?

i have been booked into physio this thurday so im hoping this helps

[Heidi]

Hi

Heat is recommended for injuries more than a couple of weeks old yes.
Only you will know if you are overdoing it. You shouldn't be working into pain, any strengthening you do should be comfortable, with a moderate i.e. 6-7 out of ten, for difficulty.

I think seeing the physio is the best move. I think you'll find it will improve a lot after some treatment. Good luck!

[thomson_adam]

hey sorry for the late reply , i havent been able to get to a comp.

i had my first session of physio today , i was given some unltra sonic on my hamstring so hopefully that will work.

do you thnik my hamstring will just go again if i rush back to playing football again ??

[Heidi]

Very likely.
Once a hamstring has been injured once it then tends to have a weakness to being injured again unless it is properly rehabilitated.
Make sure you strengthen it first and then get back to gentle training. Start off with running only in straight lines and at steady low speed. Then increase to add acceleration work and changes in direction.

[thomson_adam]

i tried playing yesterday , it never went again but its sore today. is that normal do you think ??

im going to try add some strength work now, would swimming benifit it ?

[Heidi]

Hi

Yes I would say it is normal for it to be sore when you play again so soon after injury!
Swimming won't do any harm, although it won't really do much in the way of strengthening.

[thomson_adam]

aww good i was beginning to get really worried that i had damaged it again. its just a bit sore and stiff but no where near as bad as last time.

i have been applying heat regular, should i apply ice to ?? what about muscle rubs

[Heidi]

At this stage heat would be more beneficial. The only time you might want to use ice instead is after training/match when alternating hot/cold is probably the best idea.

In general, all muscle rubs - be it hot or cold, aren't as effective as actually using a hot/cold pack. THey don't get as deep into the tissues and tend to only affect the more superficial layers.