As powerful muscles that flex the knee and extend the hip, hamstrings get a tremendous workout during a soccer game as you run and kick. Still, they may need special attention in terms of increasing strength relative to the quadriceps, especially in female players. A Swedish study described in the book "Science and Soccer" reported that two-thirds of soccer players have tight hamstrings, so stretching and strengthening your hamstrings should be a training priority.
Significance
Sprinting or a powerful kick can lead to an injury of one of the three muscles, most typically the biceps femoris, that comprise the hamstrings at the back of the thigh. These muscles originate on the pelvis, cross the hip and knee and insert on the tibia, the larger of the two lower-leg bones. A strain involves a tear in the hamstring when the fully stretched muscle suddenly contracts, as when a sprinting player's foot hits the ground and -- trying for more speed -- he flexes his knee and pulls the hamstring too suddenly. Fast players like Fernando Torres of Spain, who endured a hamstring strain at the 2010 World Cup final, are at risk.
Symptoms and Treatment
You may feel a pop or crack at the time of the strain, or a sudden pain down the back of the leg, FIFA.com notes. Flexing the knee causes pain. Follow the P-R-I-C-E protocol: Protect the leg by taking weight off it. Rest, ice, compression and elevation comprise the R-I-C-E part of the protocol. Recovery can take several weeks.
Risk
Just as with ankle sprains, an earlier hamstring strain predisposes you to a risk six to eight times higher of recurrence, leading soccer injury researcher Donald T. Kirkendall, of the University of North Carolina's sports medicine department, notes in a report on USSoccer.com. Other risk factors include age and a lack of flexibility. Strength imbalances -- where the quads become significantly stronger than the hamstrings -- can also factor in. Prevention is important for all players but especially for previously injured players, to avoid recurrence.
Prevention
FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, includes a hamstring strengthener as part of its "11+" recommended set of warm-ups. For beginners, have a partner press down on your calves while you kneel on soft ground. Fall forward in a controlled fashion with your arms crossed in front of your chest, unfolding them at the last instant to break your fall. Push yourself up so that your hamstrings pull you upright the rest of the way. Keep your body, from shoulders to knees, straight. Work up from three to five repetitions as a beginner to seven to 10 repetitions at the intermediate level and 12 to 15 reps for advanced warm-ups.
References
- "Science and Soccer"; Thomas Reilly et al.; 2003
- U.S. Soccer; Prevent Common Injuries in Soccer -- Hamstring Strains; Donald T. Kirkendall; May 21, 2009
- "Bloomberg"; Liverpool Striker Fernando Torres Ripped Left Hamstring in World Cup Final; Alex Duff; July 14, 2010
- FIFA.com: Hamstring
- Science of Soccer Online; Hamstring Injury Prevention Through Balance Training; Jay H. Williams; September 2010
- F-Marc Football for Health: The 11+: 9.1 Hamstrings Beginner
