How to Diagnose a Hamstring Injury

The hamstring muscles span the length of the back of your leg, from your pelvis to your lower leg. You can injure your hamstring muscles during just about any activity that involves running, quick accelerations, or quick decelerations. There are three types of hamstring injuries, measured in grades by severity. A hamstring injury can be diagnosed through a physical exam, but further testing is required to determine the severity of it. Here are the steps to having your hamstring injury diagnosed.

Instructions

• 1

  Recognize the symptoms of a hamstring injury. A hamstring injury will show up as pain in the back in your thighs or lower buttock, especially when you are trying to walk or bend over. The area may be tender or bruised. You may experience sudden pain while doing physical activity. Some people have reported feeling a snap or pop at the time of the injury.

• 2

  See your health care provider and explain your symptoms to him. He will ask you questions about how the injury occurred and about any health problems you may have. He will also want to know if you have had injuries like this previously, or if you have ever felt these symptoms in the past. Answer all his questions as truthfully as possible.

• 3

  Allow your doctor to perform a physical exam. He will want to identify any areas that are inflamed, bruised or swollen. He will feel the muscles and tissue around the area to try to identify pain and tenderness. He will also check for symmetry between your two legs. Differences between the two legs can be an indication of injury. At some time during the exam, you doctor may ask you to complete a series of flexing and extending leg movements. He will note any pain, weakness and instability.

• 4

  Submit to further testing to determine the severity of your hamstring injury. X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging scans, and computed tomography scans can all be used to examine your injured hamstring. They can also indicate any bone breaks, torn ligaments or tendon damage, which can be complications of hamstring injuries.