2) Hamstring strain.
The cause: Hamstring pulls or strains involve the muscles in the back of the thigh.
“They occur when these muscles are overstretched rapidly, usually when someone accelerates quickly from a neutral or stationary position,” says Dr. Hogrefe. “Envision a runner at the start of a race or a softball player running out of the batter’s box after lacing a double into the right field corner.”
How to treat them: “Hamstring strains in particular are fickle injuries, notorious for re-injury,” says Dr. Hogrefe. Depending on how severe your injury is, you’ll want to wait 2-6 weeks before jumping back into hamstring-heavy activities.
How to prevent hamstring injury: Two words: warm up.
“Dynamic exercises that involve stretching while going through range of motion will be more beneficial than static stretches (i.e., holding a stretch for a period of time.) Exercises like lunges, forward leg swings, and leg crossovers should help,” says Hogrefe.
And never (we repeat, NEVER) lock your knees. “When your joint is completely extended, you put it at risk for injury because it has all the pressure under a heavy load,” says King.
When to see the doctor: “The dreaded hamstring region ‘pop’ when engaged in significant activity probably warrants a more in-depth evaluation,” says Hogrefe. It could be a sign of a hamstring pull or tear. If you’re in significant pain when you sit down or are walking with a limp, you should also seek a medical opinion.
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