Hamstring muscle group injuries are called the most frequently and continuously injured muscle during football. It is especially common in sports such as basketball and football. It can occur in one or more of the muscles in the back of the thigh as a result of muscle tension and pulling.
The hamstring muscle group consists of the Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus muscles located at the back of the thigh. These muscles are also called the posterior thigh muscles or the ischiocrural muscles, but generally this muscle group is called the hamstrings.
The hamstring muscles provide hip extension and knee flexion during walking. Also, when the leg and thigh are stabilized, the hamstring muscles allow the trunk to make an extension movement.
What are the Symptoms of Hamstring Tear?
In 1st degree tears in the back muscle part, pain can only be observed when performing some movements, there is no pain in the back muscle part during walking and daily work. Pain may occur only when doing sports, while in grade 2 posterior muscle tears, pain is experienced during stretching, bending forward and walking. Symptoms and painful movements vary according to the degree of the posterior muscle tear.
- Pain in the posterior muscle due to touch
- Pain in the back muscle when walking, bending forward, taking off shoes
- Stabbing, tightness and pulling sensation in the back muscle
Hamstring Muscle Group Injury Types
In recent studies, it has been observed that various sports cause lesions in various parts of the hamstrings muscle complex with various injury functions. There are 2 types of injuries: high-speed running type and strain type.
High-speed running during sports such as soccer or athletics is strongly associated with biceps femoris muscle injuries. Strain-type injuries occur during frequent stretching and stretching positions in rugby, dancing or kicking sports. They are generally mixed, but mainly occur in muscles located on the posterior aspect of the thigh. The exact location of the injury within each muscle varies with the function of the injury.
In general, hamstring strains that occur in close proximity to a muscle can be quite problematic because they are closer to the ischial tuberosity.
How is a hamstring injury treated?
As with other sports injuries, actions such as resting, applying ice compresses and keeping the leg elevated should be done in the early stages of the injury. The action should be stopped when the muscle is strained.
After pulling the muscle, ice should be applied to the painful area immediately for 10-15 minutes. This should be done regularly to control edema and pain. Apart from keeping the edema under control, this application should also be applied to ensure that the muscle is flexible. Elastic bandage or calf brace should be preferred to keep the edema under control. If the discomfort persists after these procedures are applied and numbness and pins and needles are experienced, this means that it is too tight. Periodically lying on the floor and keeping the leg elevated on a daily basis helps gravity to minimize edema.
In the first stage, hard stretching activities should be avoided. Uncomfortable stretching may delay recovery. Light stretching and easy strengthening exercises can support the healing muscles.