How to Prevent Hamstring Injuries

Hamstring injuries are common, especially in athletes. The hamstring muscles run down the legs on the back of the thighs and help the knees bend and the legs extend straight back. Hamstring injuries can range in severity from simple strains to partial tears to complete tears and loss of function. Symptoms include a sharp pain on the back of the thigh, swelling, bruising below the knee and persistent weakness in the affected muscle. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent hamstring injuries.

Instructions

• 1

  Warm up your muscles before engaging in any strenuous exercise or activity. Tight muscles are more vulnerable to injury. Athletes should stretch their hamstring muscles daily, even during breaks from competition or activity.

• 2

  Strengthen your hamstrings through exercises targeted to those muscles. Speak with a professional trainer about the proper techniques for working your hamstrings and other muscles, and stop immediately if you feel any pain or burning. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that it is not necessary to feel pain to fully work a muscle group.

• 3

  Avoid overuse and intense training while hamstrings are sore or tired from exercise. Muscle fatigue reduces the ability of the hamstring to absorb energy, thereby resulting in injury.

• 4

  Stretch lightly before exercise, and avoid overstretching your hamstrings. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, muscle overload is the primary cause of hamstring injuries, and overload occurs when the muscle is overstretched or forced to support a heavy, sudden load of weight.

• 5

  Wrap or brace any unstable joints to prevent falls or damage to surrounding muscles. Braces provide short-term stability, according to the Mayo Clinic, and should be discontinued once regular activity resumes and muscle strength increases.

• 6

  Wear well-fitting shoes and proper gear when playing sports or engaging in strenuous activity. This will protect your muscles and prevent falls, according to the National Institutes of Health.

• 7

  Treat existing hamstring injuries before attempting to work those muscles. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends a combination of rest, elevation, ice, compression, immobilization and physical therapy. Re-injuring your hamstring increases the risk of permanent damage.

• 8

  Minimize any muscle imbalance between muscle groups. Muscle imbalance is a common cause of hamstring injury. When one muscle group is significantly stronger than an opposing muscle group, the weaker group may become fatigued more quickly, resulting in strain.