What You Need To Know About Hamstring Tear Injuries:
1)
What Is A Hamstring?
A muscle is a group of connective tissues that are used for movement. Muscles contract when you apply force to them. They have many functions such as maintaining posture, supporting your weight, and moving heavy objects. Most muscles are found in the body but only some play a major role in certain activities like running or lifting weights. There are two types of muscles; slow twitch (slow action) and fast twitch (fast action). Slow twitch fibers fire slowly and do not produce much force during contraction. Fast twitch fibers fire quickly but cannot produce enough force to overcome the resistance of the slower-twitch muscle fibers.
2)
How Do I Know If My Hamstrings Are Torn?
If your hamstrings feel tight, weak, or swollen then it means they are injured. When the hamstring muscles become strained, they may pull on other parts of the back and cause pain. Your hamstrings will hurt if you try to bend over with them. They may also feel tender when lying down or sitting up straight.
3)
Why Should I Care About Hamstring Tears?
Hamstring tears affect millions of people worldwide every year. These injuries occur because they are often overlooked and ignored due to their minor nature. These tears can be extremely dangerous if not treated immediately. If you continue to ignore these hamstring strains, they can develop into pulled hamstrings.
4)
What Are Some Common Signs And Symptoms Of A Torn Hamstring?
A pulled hamstring, or strain in layman’s terms is the damage of the muscle fibers that are found in the hamstrings. When this injury occurs, it causes a sudden, sharp pain in the back of your knee or the back of your thigh. This pain will be more prominent when you try to lift your leg against gravity or run. You may hear a loud popping or tearing sound when the injury takes place.
5)
What Causes A Pulled Hamstring?
A pulled hamstring can occur when you move your legs too much or too quickly before they are ready. Prolonged bending, running, jumping, or any other form of exercise can cause this condition.
6)
What Is A Grade 1,2,3 Hamstring Tear?
A hamstring tear is exactly what it sounds like. It is a tear in one of the three hamstring muscles. This tear can range from a grade 1 (small tear in the muscle) to a grade 3 (long tendon is ripped away from the bone). If you experience the symptoms of a pulled hamstring, then you likely have a grade 1 or 2 hamstring tear.
7)
How Do I Treat A Grade 1,2,3 Tear?
If you think you have a grade 1 or 2 tear then you need to rest and put ice on the injury to decrease the swelling. You should also apply an Epson salt (epsom salt) bath a few times a week. This will help soothe the pain and swelling. If these steps do not work, then you should consider seeing a doctor for stronger medication as well as physical therapy.
8)
What Is A Complete Tear?
A complete tear is a much more serious injury than a strain or a partial tear. With this injury, the hamstring muscle has actually been ripped from the bone. This is an extremely painful injury and you may need to have your hamstring surgically reattached to the bone.
If you feel as if you have torn your hamstring completely then you absolutely need to see a doctor immediately. After an x-ray has been taken, your doctor will be able to tell if your hamstring can be surgically reattached or not. If it cannot be reattached, then you will need to have physical therapy in order to strengthen the surrounding muscles and a new hamstring graft surgery.
9)
What Are The Different Types Of Hamstring Grafts?
There are three types of hamstring grafts that can be used in a hamstring reattachment surgery. These include the central third, the central half, and the terminal third hamstring graft. The type that is used will depend on the extent of the injury.
10)
What Is A Central Third Hamstring Graft?
A central third hamstring graft is exactly as it sounds. This involves taking a piece of your hamstring that is in the center (the part that isn’t torn) and cutting it out to use in the reattachment surgery.
11)
What Is A Central Half Graft?
A central half graft is a surgery where your doctor will cut out a whole section of your hamstring that is in the center of your body and then reattach it. This type of surgery usually provides the best results since there is less stress on the two remaining tendons that are left behind.
12)
What Is A Terminal Third Graft?
A terminal third hamstring graft is a surgery where your doctor will actually take a piece of tendon from the very end of your hamstring muscle. This can be a less than ideal surgery since this piece is not as strong and resilient as the middle part of your hamstring. However, it can still be a good solution to your injury if the middle part of your hamstring is too damaged.
13)
What Are The Different Types Of Knee Ligament Tear Treatments?
If you tear one of the four ligaments in your knee, it is likely that your doctor will recommend surgery to repair the ligament. There are a few different types of surgeries that can be used to repair a torn ligament. These include:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear Treatments
The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four ligaments in your knee. It is one of the most commonly torn ligaments. If you tear your ACL, then you can have one of two surgeries to repair it: a partial ACL reconstruction or a complete ACL reconstruction.
Sources & references used in this article:
Intrinsic risk factors for hamstring injuries among male soccer players: a prospective cohort study by AH Engebretsen, G Myklebust, I Holme… – … American journal of …, 2010 – journals.sagepub.com
The diagnostic and prognostic value of ultrasonography in soccer players with acute hamstring injuries by J Petersen, K Thorborg, MB Nielsen… – … American journal of …, 2014 – journals.sagepub.com
Incidence, risk, and prevention of hamstring muscle injuries in professional rugby union by JHM Brooks, CW Fuller, SPT Kemp… – The American journal …, 2006 – journals.sagepub.com
Return to competitive play after hamstring injuries involving disruption of the central tendon by J Comin, P Malliaras, P Baquie… – … American journal of …, 2013 – journals.sagepub.com
Magnetic resonance imaging parameters for assessing risk of recurrent hamstring injuries in elite athletes by G Koulouris, DA Connell, P Brukner… – … American journal of …, 2007 – journals.sagepub.com
Risk factors for sports injuries—a methodological approach by R Bahr, I Holme – British journal of sports medicine, 2003 – bjsm.bmj.com
Isokinetic concentric quadriceps and hamstring strength variables from the NFL Scouting Combine are not predictive of hamstring injury in first-year professional … by JE Zvijac, TA Toriscelli, S Merrick… – The American journal …, 2013 – journals.sagepub.com
Hamstring injuries: prevention and treatment—an update by P Brukner – British journal of sports medicine, 2015 – bjsm.bmj.com
