Maintaining Fitness for Hamstring Strains

Step by step fitness program

This is a progessive rehabilitation fitness program designed to be used in conjunction with a full hamstring strain rehab program. The athlete will only move onto the next stage if the current stage can comfortably be completed pain free. If at any time the exercises are painful then step back a stage or two.

Stage 1 (Acute stage):

• Arm bike only if pain free.
• Or complete rest.
• Ready to move on when daily activities are pain free.

Stage 2:

• Rowing machine if pain allows.

Stage 3:

• Stationary cycling.

Stage 4:

• Arm only swimming.

Stage 5:

• Stepper.

Stage 6:

• Cross Trainer

Stage 7

• Slow jogging – up to 2 x 10 minutes with a short rest in between.
• Move on when the above is pain free and pain free the next day.

Stage 8

• Slow jogging – up to 25mins continuous.
• Move on when pain free and pain free the next day.

Stage 9

• Half pace running.
• 6 x 50m strides.
• Move on when pain free and pain free the next day.

Stage 10

• 100m shuttles at 30s (3 x 6mins) with short rest.
• 100m shuttles at 27s (3 x 6mins) with short rest.
• 100m shuttles at 24s (3 x 5 minutes) with longer rest.
• 100m shuttles at 20s (3 x 4 mins) with longer rest as required.

Stage 11 – Final Stage

• Sprints – 8 x 50m sprints (twice).
• Ensure pain free during and after.