Hamstring pulls are a common athletic injury, especially in sports that require sprinting, like track and football. Your hamstrings, which are located in the back of your thigh, are made up of three muscles, the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and the semimembranosus. These muscles attach at the back of the knee and run lengthwise up to the attachment at the base of your buttocks. A pulled or strained hamstring results from excessive stretching or minor tearing of the muscle fibers. Therapeutic stretches and specific exercises can be helpful after the initial treatment of rest, ice, compression and elevation.
Wall Hamstring Stretch
For a minor hamstring pull or strain, gentle stretching is usually recommended during the first few days after the injury. The wall stretch allows you to slowly stretch your hamstring without placing strain on your lower back. Lie on the floor on your back with the injured leg resting up against the wall next to a door frame. Your non-injured leg can rest beside you through the open door. Your injured leg should be in a 90-degree angle to your torso. Try not to bend your knee as you hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. To increase the intensity, move closer to the wall.
Seated Resistance Strength Exercise
To slowly strengthen the pulled hamstring, take a seat on the floor with both legs extended straight, hip-distance apart. Slightly bend the knee of the injured leg. Press your heel down into the floor to create resistance in the back of the leg. Hold the pressure for about five seconds. Perform three to five more sets, resting between sets.
Chair Hamstring Exercises
This exercise puts a little more stress on the hamstring muscles than the seated resistance, but it is another effective strengthening exercise you can do at home. Sit in a chair or on a stool that has roller wheels. Sit up tall with your abs tucked in and your spine straight. Place your injured leg on the floor in front of you, with your heel pressing into the floor and your toe flexed back toward your shin. Pull yourself forward in the chair by bending your knee and flexing your hamstring muscles. Stretch your leg back out and repeatedly pull yourself across the floor. You can increase the difficulty of this exercise by performing the exercise on carpet.
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