Pulled Hamstrings and Chiropractic Care
Hamstring injuries are both common and painful, typically occurring when a person is engaged in exercises or sporting activities, especially those that involve sprinting and sudden stops, like soccer, football, basketball, and tennis.
What is a pulled hamstring?
Your hamstring is actually a group of muscles that run along the back of your thigh, from your hip to just below your knee. When you strain any one of these muscles, you have pulled your hamstring.
What causes a pulled hamstring?
- Failure to warm up before exercising.
- Poor flexibility or range of motion.
- Tight quadriceps (the muscles at the front of your thighs).
What are the symptoms of a pulled hamstring?
- Sudden pain during physical activity sometimes accompanied by a loud snap or popping sound.
- Intense pain at the back of the thigh
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Difficulty walking
What are the different levels of hamstring injuries?
- Grade 1 (Mild). A mild strain, where overstretching occurs without tearing the muscle. Pain is noticed, but the swelling is minimal and there is no loss of strength or flexibility.
- Grade 2 (Moderate). A partial tear, where the pain is more immediate, strength and flexibility are reduced, and limping is likely.
- Grade 3 (Severe). A complete rupture or tear, accompanied by a sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh. This level of strain could require surgery.
What is the best way to treat a pulled hamstring?
Most medical professionals recommend the RICE method. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
How could chiropractic care help a pulled hamstring?
Most experienced chiropractors will examine a person’s entire kinetic chain (feet, knees, hips, pelvis, and lower back) before beginning hamstring treatments. Poor posture, joints that are restricted at the knee or hip, spinal misalignment, etc., all contribute to hamstring injuries.
When it comes to treating hamstrings, chiropractors’ primary goals include reduction in inflammation, increased range of motion, and less pain. When a person strains their hamstrings, their muscles become tight. Chiropractic adjustments, including spinal manipulation or mobilization, help relieve pressure on the muscles and the surrounding nerves. Other techniques, like ultrasound and elective muscle stimulation, can break up scar tissue and restore muscle tone.
It’s extremely important to rehabilitate your injury correctly. Far too many people return to their sports too soon and risk re-injury.
A chiropractor can provide numerous treatment options for those who have pulled hamstrings, as a professional, like an injured hamstring chiropractor, from a treatment center such as AmeriWell Clinics, can explain.
