Recovering from a bad hamstring injury

[tbz_ck]

Around 3-4 months ago whilst playing football I tore my hamstring in my left leg quite badly (bad internal bleeding/bruising, couldn't sit/walk at all for about 4 days). After 7 weeks all pain was gone and it felt fine so I played again and within 30 mins I tore it again (though not nearly as bad).

About 5 weeks after the second episode I've returned to training but am taking it VERY easy until I get confidence back that I can run flat out again.

Now then, I've never really been properly trained to strengthen hamstrings before and don't really know how I can stretch and strengthen that muscle group. So advice would be appreciated on that one. I feel that the hamstring has shortened somewhat and I've lost some of the flexibility in that leg (can't touch my toes anymore etc)

In addition, I've started cycling to football (and to work) in order to improve my fitness level and get a decent warm-up before the match starts. I still need a good stretching regime though to build my confidence back up.

At the moment I'm holding back for fear of it tearing again.

Ta

ck

 

[Morba]

as much as i would like to recommend some stretches, i would much prefer to advise you to goto a specialist (sports physio), that way they will be able to manage the stretches much better than on your own.

 

[davestar_delux]

Dunno about injury recovery but for stretching, warm the muscles up, a light jog for 15 minutes ought to do, just do your stretches, lean over and reach as low as you can go then try and push a wee bit further and hold there for about 15-30 seconds, relax and repeat, knees can bend slightly. Need to stretch 3 or 4 times a day to improve and maintain flexibility. Once you feel okay at that, start doing it and hold dumbbells in your hands to weigh you down more.

Another exercise I found good was lie on your back and bring your leg up, try and point your toe dead straight up, similar to exercise above, don't push too hard, don't bounce.

 

[Klytus]

When you damage any soft tissue, and develop scar tissue, as the scar matures it contracts. This leaves the tissue tighter than it was before, coupled with the fact that it is weaker as you will not have used it as much during the injury period. Scar maturation takes months and during that time it can continue to contract.

You want to do some developmental stretches for your hamstrings - Hold each for 30 seconds and do 3 to 5 per set a few times per day.
Something like this is fine to start off:-



Depending on which portion of the hamstrings you injured you may find you get more of a localised stretch by turning your foot slightly outwards or inwards before starting the stretch.

Once its stretched out to the same length as the other leg (i.e. stretching feels the same on both legs) then I would start the strengthening - Sqauts, deadlifts etc. but with really light weight/just the bar then progress gradually.

One problem with cycling is that it actually shortens your hamstrings so make sure you keep doing maintainance stretches in the future.