Hamstring Strain Rehab Program
Sportsinjuryclinic.net has worked with Premiership Physiotherapist Neal Reynolds to produce a step by step point rehab program based around four elements: Healing, Stretching, Strengthening and maintaining Aerobic fitness.
The following guidelines are for information purposes only. We recommend seeking professional advice before attempting rehabilitation.
Aims of rehabilitation
- Reduce pain and swelling.
- Improve flexibility and muscle condition.
- Restore muscle strength.
- Return to full fitness.
The athlete will progress through the four elements at different rates depending on the severity of the injury and the athlete themselves. The program is based on what a full time professional footballer might do with all the time and resources available they need.
Where the athlete starts along each stage will also depend on how old the injury is and how bad it is when beginning rehab.
Healing
This element is the treatment side of rehab and includes cold therapy or ice, electrotherapy such as Ultrasound or laser, deep tissue sports massage and heat.
Healing is split into three stages:
- Phase 1 is the acute stage and can last 3 to 4 days.
- Phase 2 is the sub acute stage lasting anything from 10 days to 2 weeks depending on severity.
- Phase 3 is the final stage returning back to full fitness.
- More on hamstring strain healing and treatment.
Stretching
- Gentle static stretches initially
- Moving gradually onto more dynamic sports specific stretches.
- Different stretches will target the muscle in different ways depending on exactly where the muscle tear is.
- More on stretching for hamstring strains.
Strengthening
- Or gradually increasing the load on the muscle.
- Always done pain free.
- From basic static exercises.
- Through to more sports specific exercises in the later stages.
- More on hamstring strengthening exercises
Aerobic fitness
- A progressive program starting at arm bikes for athletes with severe muscle strains.
- Through to timed shuttle runs and sprints a professional footballer would be expected to be able to do before returning to competitive matches.
- Visit our step by step aerobic fitness page for more.
