Once you have had a hamstring injury, you never know when it might occur again.
They can happen without notice during your regular jogging or exercise routine and they can be severely painful.
Your hamstrings get constant use when running, so you need to know what to do about this type of painful running injury before one happens.
Hamstring Anatomy and Construction
Your hamstrings are comprised of three muscles- the semi-membranosus, the semi-tendinosus, and the biceps femoris. They run across the hips and knees, as they are a longer group of muscles, located on the inner part of your back thigh. Knowing the anatomy of the hamstring can help you properly diagnose when an injury has occurred.
Knowing The Difference Between Sciatica and Hamstring Injury
If you are making a self-diagnosis, it is easy to confuse a hamstring injury with sciatica because the symptoms are quite similar.
If you have strained your hamstring, you will feel the pain in the center of your thigh.
On the other hand, the pain of sciatica will be felt on the outer thigh and you will likely feel the pain from your feet, through the hip area and your lower back might be affected.
If you have pinched sciatica, there is a test that is quite helpful and simple in determining whether this is the case. Lie on your back and raise the leg that is causing pain, keeping the knee straight.
It is possibly a hamstring strain if you feel pain during this simple test, but by bending your foot towards the knee or having somebody help you flex the foot you can confirm sciatica, if you feel pain during this part of the test.
What Causes A Hamstring Injury?
There are several possible causes. Over-extending your leg or running along a sloped road or a steep bank can over-stretch the hamstring muscle as the muscle contributes to balance.
You may need to shorten your running stride because you will not be able to maintain your normal running pace most likely, once an injury has occurred. Intense pain may be felt when you extend your leg, as the condition of the hamstring deteriorates.
A painful hamstring injury can also occur from a quick sudden stretch of the hamstring during any kind of exercise routine or when playing any kind of sport, especially if there is no warm-up period involved.
Once this happens, it is not unusual to feel severe pain for a week, and possibly up to as long as two and a half weeks. For this reason, you always want to include a warm-up in any physical activity that is likely to cause strain.
Treating A Hamstring Injury
Do you know how to treat a hamstring injury?
Ice packs should be applied to the painful area, as part of the initial treatment and you may want to take ibuprofen, or any other anti-inflammatory, to alleviate pain and reduce swelling.
While some diehards might want to continue their exercise routine, it is better to allow the injury to heal properly, especially if a severe injury has occurred.
Preventing A Hamstring Injury
Do you know how to prevent a hamstring injury?
Proper warm-up will prevent the over-stretching of the hamstring, which leads to injury, but many people may not be aware that research has shown that stretching before running won't prevent hamstring injury. An easy warm-up, prior to your workout, might include an easy run.
Stretching cold muscles can lead to more injuries than not stretching at all, but this is not that case after your workout because research has shown that stretching after your workout is far more important. You can visit my running stretches page for more advice in this area.
Products For Hamstring Injury
Zensah Thigh Sleeve
This Zensah Thigh Sleeve helps keep you comfortable and dry.
The compression wrap helps with swelling and helps alleviate pain in the hamstring and thigh.
The Neoprene Thigh Sleeve can increase the healing process because the neoprene provides therapeutic warmth by absorbing body heat and it holds it in through its insulating properties.
In addition, a hamstring injury or groin injury can benefit from the warmth, support and moderate compression it provides.
Your running can be impacted with hamstring injuries and they can be painful.
A proper warm up routine before your workout and proper cool down of the muscles can help prevent a hamstring injury.
Rather than treating the muscles, it is much better to prevent these injuries, as most athletes will tell you.
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This Zensah Thigh Sleeve helps keep you comfortable and dry.
The Neoprene Thigh Sleeve can increase the healing process because the neoprene provides therapeutic warmth by absorbing body heat and it holds it in through its insulating properties.
