Medicines for Hamstring injury

What it is

A hamstring injury is a strain or tear of the hamstring muscles — the group of muscles that run down the back of the thigh, from the buttock to the back of the knee, which help bend the knee and extend the hip. Hamstring injuries are very common, particularly in sports that involve sprinting, sudden acceleration, kicking, or rapid changes of direction (such as football, rugby, athletics, and similar activities). They usually happen when the muscle is overstretched or overloaded, for example during a sprint or a sudden movement. The symptoms of a hamstring injury can include: a sudden, sharp pain at the back of the thigh (sometimes with a feeling of something "going" or a pop); tenderness, swelling, and, over the following days, bruising at the back of the thigh; pain when moving the leg, walking, or straightening the knee; and, in more severe injuries, difficulty walking or bearing weight. Hamstring injuries are graded by severity, from a mild strain (a minor overstretch or small tear) to a more significant partial tear, up to a complete tear or, occasionally, the tendon pulling away from the bone (which is more severe). Most hamstring injuries — particularly mild to moderate strains — heal with self-care and rehabilitation, over a period ranging from a couple of weeks for mild strains to some weeks or longer for more significant injuries. The mainstays of recovery are initial rest and protection, followed by a graded programme of exercises and rehabilitation to restore strength and flexibility, and a careful return to sport, as returning too soon increases the risk of re-injury (hamstring injuries are prone to recurring). More severe injuries — such as a complete tear or a tendon avulsion — may need assessment by a specialist and, occasionally, surgery. The key messages are that most hamstring injuries heal with rest and rehabilitation, that a graded, complete rehabilitation and careful return to activity reduce the risk of re-injury, and that severe injuries should be assessed.

How it is treated

Most hamstring injuries heal with self-care and a graded rehabilitation programme, with assessment for severe injuries. In the first days after the injury, the principles of soft-tissue injury care apply: protecting the injury and resting from aggravating activities, applying ice (wrapped) to reduce pain and swelling, using compression and elevation where appropriate, and simple pain relief; and avoiding things that could worsen it early on. After the initial phase, the key to recovery is a progressive rehabilitation programme — gradually reintroducing movement, then exercises to restore and build the strength and flexibility of the hamstrings and surrounding muscles, and progressing towards sport-specific activities. A physiotherapist can guide rehabilitation, particularly for sports injuries or more significant strains, and this is important both for full recovery and for reducing the high risk of re-injury. A careful, graded return to running and sport — only when strength, flexibility, and function have been restored and the injury allows — is important, as returning too early is a common cause of the injury recurring. Recovery time depends on the severity, from a couple of weeks for a mild strain to some weeks or longer for more significant tears. More severe injuries — such as a complete tear, or the tendon pulling away from the bone (avulsion), which may cause severe pain, significant weakness, difficulty walking, or extensive bruising — should be assessed by a doctor or specialist, as they may need imaging and, occasionally, surgical treatment. Preventing hamstring injuries and re-injuries involves good conditioning, strengthening (particularly hamstring-strengthening exercises), flexibility, warming up properly, and building up training gradually. The reassuring messages are that most hamstring injuries heal well with rest and a proper rehabilitation programme, that completing rehabilitation and returning to sport carefully reduce the risk of the injury coming back, and that severe injuries should be assessed as they occasionally need more treatment.