How To Prevent Hamstring Injuries
The hamstrings are the muscles on either side of your thigh that allow you to bend your knee and move. They’re responsible for a lot of movements in everyday life – running, jumping, and climbing stairs.
Hamstring tears and ruptures happen when a sudden burst of activity causes the hamstring to over-stretch. It then pulls away from the bone, causing a tearing of the tissue around the joint. The result is severe and immediate pain, followed by swelling in the leg.
What can you do to avoid this?
- The most important thing is to warm up properly before any athletic event or training, especially if it’s going to be very demanding. Stretch also before you exercise. Warming up will increase the blood flow to your hamstrings and provide the muscle’s nutrients. Stretching will increase the range of motion and reduce the risk of overstretching.
- Stretch your hamstrings after exercise. After exercise, you are also recommended to stretch and cool down. Sometimes a sports massage can reduce the strain on your muscles, and it is beneficial if you plan to continue exercising.
- Don’t run with your hamstrings too tight. Instead, loosen them slightly before running and hold them that way for several minutes after your run.
- Perform strengthening exercises to balance your muscle function. Most athletes work out a group of muscles and give them more importance. If you do that, you will create an imbalance of muscle strength that affects your biomechanics and increase your risk of injuries. So, work out all leg muscles equally without prioritizing one or two muscle groups.