A hamstring strain is an injury to the muscles in the back of the thigh. These muscles run from above the hip to the knee joint. A strain is a series of small tears in the muscle. The tendon attached to the muscle may also have damage.

Hamstring strain is a common sports-related injury.

• Stretching the muscle too fast and/or too far.
• Suddenly putting stress on the muscles when they are not ready for the stress.

• Participation in sports that require bursts of speed. This includes track sports like running, hurdles, or long jump. Other sports include basketball, soccer, football, or rugby.
• Previous hamstring injury
• Fatigue
• Overexertion
• Tight hamstrings
• Imbalance of hamstring and opposing quadriceps muscle strength
• Using the muscles too much in one day
• A direct blow to the muscles

• Pain and tenderness in the back of the thigh
• Stiffness in the hamstrings
• Weakness in the hamstrings
• Bruising on the back of the thigh, if blood vessels are broken
• Popping or snapping sensation as the muscle tears

• X-rays
• CT scan
• MRI

The First 24-72 hours

Range of motion

Muscle strength

Manual therapy

Functional training

• Keep your hamstrings strong so they can absorb the energy of sudden physical stress.
• Learn the proper technique for exercise and sporting activities. This will decrease stress on all your muscles, including your hamstrings.

• American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor

http://familydoctor.org

• American College of Sports Medicine

http://acsm.org

• Public Health Agency of Canada

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

• Canadian Physiotherapy Association

http://www.physiotherapy.ca

• Hamstring muscle injuries. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Ortho Info website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00408 . Updated July 2009. Accessed April 11, 2013.
• Hamstring strain. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what . Updated February 28, 2013. Accessed April 11, 2013.
• Heiderscheit BC, Sherry MA, et al. Hamstring strain injuries: recommendations for diagnosis, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther . 2010;40(2):67-81.
• Mendiguchia J, Brughelli M. A return-to-sport algorithm for acute hamstring injuries. Phys Ther Sport. 2011;12(1):2-14.
• Mendiguchia J, Alentorn-Geli E, Brughelli M. Hamstring strain injuries: are we heading in the right direction? Br J Sports Med . 2012;46(2):81-85.
• 10/26/2010 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Massey T, Derry S, Moore R, McQuay H. Topical NSAIDs for acute pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev . 2010;(6):CD007402.