The hamstring is one of the largest and most powerful muscles in the body. It is essential to lower body function and is used when standing, walking or running. But because of the constant and high amounts of stress placed on the hamstring, injury is a likely occurrence -- from a minor strain of the muscle to a partial or even complete tear. To prevent the development of scar tissue, it is important to rehabilitate the muscle as it recovers. There are different degrees of rehab you can resort to, depending on the severity of the injury. Unless the injury is severe, the RICE method -- rest, ice, compression, elevation -- is a good starting point.
Step 1
Stop exercising and rest the hamstring as much as possible. Anytime you use the muscle, you are subjecting it to further damage.
Step 2
Apply ice to the muscle to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes a time, three or four times a day.
Step 3
Elevate your leg to reduce inflammation and swelling in the injured muscle. In addition to this, you should apply compression to prevent blood from swelling into the injury location. This can be a hard compress with a hand, or you can wear a synthetic compression sleeve on your leg.
Step 4
Continue applying the RICE method of treatment until the hamstring returns to normal, unless you experience no improvement after a few days. If the hamstring does not improve on its own, you will need to seek medical care to repair the muscle.
Step 5
Apply light amounts of stress and exercise on the hamstring if it shows signs of improvement after a few days. This will help encourage the muscle to return to its level of performance prior to the injury. Light exercise encourages blood flow to the muscle, which can speed up the healing process. This consists of any movement or activity that does not cause pain in the injured hamstring. Gentle stretching or walking is a good starting point, but you should only do as much as the hamstring can handle without developing pressure or pain. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of exercise only as long as the muscle responds normally. Stop exercise immediately if any pain or tension develops.
Step 6
Attend physical therapy several times a week if your own at-home rehab fails to yield any results. Physical therapy is usually reserved for more serious injuries to the hamstring, and it is often used following surgery needed to repair or reattach the muscle. Physical therapy can take weeks or months to rehabilitate the hamstring back to its normal function.
Things You'll Need
- Ice
- Compression sleeve
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