Prevention of Hamstring Strains

Preventing a Pulled Hamstring

One of the most important methods of preventing a pulled hamstring is to warm-up correctly- this has been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of hamstring strains. This should consist of some light aerobic exercise followed by stretching and sports specific drills with gradually increasing intensity.

Other factors which increase the likelihood of suffering a hamstring strain include:

• Age: The older the individual the greater the risk of a pulled hamstring.
• Previous Injury: Prior injuries to the hamstrings or adductor (groin)muscles can greatly increase the chance of future injury.
• Flexibility: Research suggests that the greater the flexibility of the hamstrings the less prone they are to injury.
• Hamstring strength: Similarly studies have shown that lack of hamstring strength is strongly linked to hamstring injury.
• Lumbosacral nerve impingement: Nerve impingement in L5-S1 can lead to associated hamstring muscle weakness.
• Tiredness and fitness: When a player is fatigued he/she loses coordination between certain muscle groups. The Biceps Femoris muscle is known to become damaged due its two portions being innervated by two separate nerves. In states of tiredness, lack of synchronization between these two nerves can lead to a mismatch in firing resulting in a pulled hamstring.