So, You have a Hamstring Strain and looking for help. If this is your third, fourth, or Xth time suffering from a hamstring string, you are not the only one.
We wrote an article called “Everything you need to know about your hamstring anatomy, movement, and injury from a Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Specialist” that will help set the foundation for this article.
Let us get straight to a list of reasons that your hamstring strain is not going away, even with stretching, foam rolling, and soft tissue massages.
- You are not adding hamstring strengthening variations that emphasize eccentric-type of movements.
- You need to train in the specific activities that translate to your goals or common trigger activity.
- You are focusing too much on the hamstring muscles and need to help your hamstring muscles to work well with your body.
- No one has thought to ensure your hip, knee, ankle/heel, 1st toe, and lumbar spine joint mobility are healthy and adaptable.
- There is a Sciatic nerve involvement.
- There is a muscle that is mimicking pain to your hamstrings.
- You are not recovering well through inadequate sleep, nutrition, or nutrients.
As you can see that the list is longer than you may have assumed. Do you know what that means?
There is absolutely hope that you can stay active without fearing of a pulled hamstring muscle. You can sprint, run, jump, and do what makes your body feel happy.
Read below and start addressing these reasons and let us know how you feel in a few weeks.
1. You are not adding hamstring strengthening variations that emphasize eccentric-type of movements.
Many people focus on concentric hamstring exercises. Concentric type of movements engages the muscle fibers to shorten and strong. Eccentric type of movements engages the muscle fibers in a lengthened position.
Research has shown that chronic muscle injury happens because the muscle healed in an incomplete and unorganized manner. Eccentric-type of exercises causes micro-tears that will help restart and reorganize your muscle fibers to be parallel with each other.
You are assuming that you might have more pain and soreness if you are trying to cause micro-tears in the muscle fibers. You are correct. So, how do you know when it is therapeutic versus harmful?
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