The hamstrings provide the impetus for sudden bursts of motion needed by football players, particularly running backs and wide receivers. Hamstrings also are vital to the linebackers and defensive backs, who must keep up with and chase down offensive players. With all the quick starts and sudden stops, the hamstrings are highly taxed, often resulting in injuries. While most hamstring injuries are minor, others are more serious, requiring lengthy and dedicated treatment.
Pivotal Muscles
Located in the back part of the thigh, the hamstring muscles are the engine belts for athletes. Hamstrings consist of three muscles. Starting at the bottom of the pelvis, running through the knee and connecting to the bones in the lower leg, the hamstrings allow leg extension and knee bending. They are vital to an athlete's flexibility and propulsion.
Breaking Down
Most hamstring injuries are minor, classified as grade 1 strains or pulls. Symptoms include a sudden tightness in the back of the thigh and muscle weakness. Others are more severe, such as the grade 2 partial tears. Grade 3 complete tears are when the hamstring and tendons are completely ripped from the connecting bones. These are marked by a popping or tearing sensation in the leg that is often audible. Some may even notice a ball or lump of muscle on the back of the thigh. The most severe is an avulsion injury, occuring when the muscle entirely rips away, taking a small piece of the bone with it.
Treatments
The minor grade 1 hamstring injuries and some grade 2 strains require nothing more than the application of ice packs, elevation of the injured leg and a few days or week or two of rest. In general, the larger the tear, the longer the recovery time. However, some severe grade 3 hamstring tears may require surgery to reattach the muscles and tendons to the bones. After surgery, the leg typically is immobilized in a brace. Physical rehabilitation then follows. All told, the recovery time from these severe injuries can take as long as six months or longer.
Long-Term Prognosis
Correcting severe hamstring tears with surgery, following a prescribed treatment plan and allowing enough time for healing are vital to recovery. In research included in an article on hamstring injuries at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery website, 85 percent of athletes undergoing surgery to repair a partial tear were able to regain their previous level of play. Meanwhile, approximately 58 percent of players in the study with complete hamstring tears were able to return to playing without surgical repair, but most were unable to attain the same level of performance they had before injury. As a means of prevention and long-term care -- especially for athletes who already have suffered any kind of hamstring strain or injury -- strengthening exercises and pre-game or pre-workout stretching are important. Failure to do so can result in re-injury, which often times is more damaging than the original injury. Recurring injuries to the same leg increase the risk of permanent damage.
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