How to Repair a Hamstring Injury

Hamstring injuries are common with athletes who run, sprint, dance or play basketball or football. The hamstring is the muscle on the back of the thigh and, when it is pulled, sprained or torn, it needs time to heal properly. Generally, healing lasts anywhere from three to six weeks but this can vary, depending upon how severe the injury is. Knowing how to let the muscle repair will get an injured athlete back to normal sooner rather than later.

Things You'll Need

• Cold pack or ice
• Elastic bandage
• Splint or crutch (depending on injury)
• Over-the-counter pain medications

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Instructions

Care for an Injured Hamstring

• 1

  Rest the muscle immediately. Don't do any additional activities that could worsen the condition.

• 2

  Apply a cold pack or ice to the muscle. Apply ice to the injury as soon as possible to reduce swelling and pain, as well as slow bleeding if the muscle is torn.

• 3

  Wrap the muscle with an elastic bandage to reduce swelling. Do not wrap it too tight, which could obstruct blood circulation. Loosen the bandage if pain or numbing occurs after wrapping the muscle.

• 4

  Elevate the muscle if possible. Raise the muscle above the level of the heart to reduce swelling.

• 5

  Immobilize the muscle as much as possible. Depending upon the severity of the injury, a physician may suggest wearing a knee splint to keep the leg in a neutral position while healing occurs.