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MyFitnessPal Community

Pulled hamstring...Help

crystalbuxton34

Help. I pulled my hamstring about a month and a half ago. I stopped all exercise that engages it for a solid two weeks, while icing and elevating it as much as I could. After that I tried a brisk walk for a mile only to have it start hurting again. It doesn't hurt so much that I can't walk just more of an annoying pain. It just won't stop hurting every time I use it. So my question is do I push through the pain or stop using it again? I would really like to avoid the added cost of going to a physical therapist if I can. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I really just want to be able to start exercising again.

Replies

TR0berts

6 weeks, and it's not significantly better? I'd go see a medical professional about this, just to see what all is going on. Sure, resting and trying to take care of it was fine. But I wouldn't think a brisk walk after 6 weeks should cause too much of a problem. Hopefully, just a little more time is required.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Im not a doctor, but: Was this the result of an injury or over-use? 6 weeks is reasonable, but healing could take longer than that, in my experience.

I fully understand the cost aspect of doctors and PTs for many people. If you can swing just one visit it could be worth it, but you might also just get the advice to continue taking Ibuprofen and use ice/heat. They are unlikely to do any procedure or diagnostic beyond bending and poking (which could be helpful).

In general, I'm a strong believer in returning to easy exercise asap. Listen to your body for guidance.

ninerbuff

Have you injured that hamstring before? What was the activity you were doing when injurying it? Did you do any active rehab for it at all?

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rybo

That must have been a pretty severe pull, possibly a tear? I would definitely not push thru the pain. Keep walking and letting it heal

TavistockToad

crystalbuxton34 wrote: »

Help. I pulled my hamstring about a month and a half ago. I stopped all exercise that engages it for a solid two weeks, while icing and elevating it as much as I could. After that I tried a brisk walk for a mile only to have it start hurting again. It doesn't hurt so much that I can't walk just more of an annoying pain. It just won't stop hurting every time I use it. So my question is do I push through the pain or stop using it again? I would really like to avoid the added cost of going to a physical therapist if I can. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I really just want to be able to start exercising again.

i agree that if its not better just from rest after 6 weeks, then its worth the cash to see a physio...

'pushing through' will just make it worse.

crystalbuxton34

I hurt it doing sprints. However I was training pretty hard so maybe a combination of both. After the walk I gave it some more time to heal then tried a very slow jog for a mile, with short choppy strides. Thinking the wider strides might be over stretching it. I've also tried a light spinning class with little resistance. After I was done though it hurt worse, so I'm thinking I might just have to bite the bullet and go see a PT. This is just very frustrating. Thanks for the advice.

ninerbuff

Sounds like a hamstring strain, which is a tear. Was their bruising of your hamstring or behind your knee after? When I strained mine (first time was after turning 40), it took me a good 3 months with regular rehabbing to get it somewhat normal again. It can heal on it's own, but there are certain movements you should do to help reduce scar tissue and also work on improving the flexibility in the hamstring.
Also once it's healed, you NEED to do hamstring work. A pull is happens because the opposing muscle (quadriceps) is much stronger. You need to try to balance strength out equally to avoid it from happening again.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

crystalbuxton34

I've never hurt it before. I honestly don't know if it was bruised. I just started icing it after it happened. I have been doing light stretching and Bridges to help possibly strengthen it, however after I jogged and it hurt worse I've stopped all exercising that involves the hamstrings, which is basically everything except upper body

Cherimoose

ninerbuff wrote: »

A pull is happens because the opposing muscle (quadriceps) is much stronger.

It can also happen from being overly tight and/or overworked. A cramp can trigger the pull in some cases (speaking from experience).

ninerbuff

Cherimoose wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

A pull is happens because the opposing muscle (quadriceps) is much stronger.

It can also happen from being overly tight and/or overworked. A cramp can trigger the pull in some cases (speaking from experience).

Also possible.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Chieflrg

I've always continued training through my hamstring pulls/tears and recovered extremely quick.

If you were doing a slow jog and it was still extremely painful, then maybe cycling is an option?

Just resting could be problematic as mentioned above. Scar tissue can allow reinjured to happen quite easily.

Barbell deadlifts with a very good warm up has done wonders with mine over the decades. If you have experience with them, even just the bar can be helpful.

gina1971

crystalbuxton34 wrote: »

I hurt it doing sprints. However I was training pretty hard so maybe a combination of both. After the walk I gave it some more time to heal then tried a very slow jog for a mile, with short choppy strides. Thinking the wider strides might be over stretching it. I've also tried a light spinning class with little resistance. After I was done though it hurt worse, so I'm thinking I might just have to bite the bullet and go see a PT. This is just very frustrating. Thanks for the advice.

I "recently" injured my hamstring as well. Like you, I tried to rest and let it heal. After 4 weeks, I tried some slow walking and 14 minutes later I was laying down in pain. I have now been going to PT for 9 weeks and it is just starting to get better. I can walk for 20-30 minutes now. It is very slow healing and I have had to be diligent with my PT stretches and exercises every night. Definitely recommend PT. I have no idea how long this would have taken without it.

canadianlbs

crystalbuxton34 wrote: »

I hurt it doing sprints. However I was training pretty hard so maybe a combination of both.

fwiw, my trainer is a track/runner type and mentioned recently that sprinting on flat ground is one of the 'easiest' ways he's seen unprepared runners pick up hamstring injuries, over the years. realise it's not much use now, but perhaps for the future.

also mention that it came up because one of the other women in 'my' lifting club is a serious runner and did something similar. your story may be totally different but apparently when she found a specialist type of physiotherapist she learned that the problem was actually some kind of hip-muscle issue. it just felt like a hamstring because hips are a nuisance that way. she seems to be making progress but again . . . that's only relevant in the sense of 'perhaps a sports therapist would be a good idea'.

VeronicaA76

Go to a physical therapist. They can help with pinpointing the exact cause so you avoid future injury, and help you recover from it.

Mezzie1024

I'm healing from a hamstring sprain (or possibly strain) myself. I was told after the initial week of rest to do as much activity as I could without pain. I'm 20 days in and can walk fine for short flat distances, ride a recumbent bike, and can even do a decent amount of yoga (nothing forward bending or hamstring focused, though). I'm getting a little better every day, but certain things are still very painful/impossible. As long as I keep improving, I'm happy. I expect this to take several months, though. I'll go back in to see the doctor in a week or two and may get official PT at that point.

jdscrubs32

You are betting off going to a physio. The money will be well spent. Your issue sounds similar to when I had a tear on my hamstring. Stupidly I kept running but it was only making it worse. Went to the physio who classified it as a grade 1 tear, the least one you can get but physio said had I kept running, it would have been a worse tear. Physio gave me great stretches to do to heal it and recommended slow walking. Once I felt it was 100% then I could slowly go back running. When you were doing no exercise, the issue went into hibernation and came back when you started exercise again. I would strongly recommend physio.

spiriteagle99

Hamstrings can become chronic. A PT can give you exercises that may help if there isn't a complete avulsion. Time is the biggest healer but that doesn't mean you can't do anything while it heals. A lot depends on the severity of the strain. One thing I learned, too late, is to stop doing regular hamstring stretches. Stretching a torn muscle can just make the tear worse.

I injured mine doing speed work with runners that were much faster than I. I pushed hard so I wouldn't be left too far behind. It took 18 months before I could run without any pain. OTOH, I was able to run during that 18 months, I just had to keep the pace slow. I also avoided hills as much as possible for the first few weeks. I ran a marathon about 6 months after my injury and had only one long run cut short because of pain. Obviously, everybody is different. About a year after the injury I finally went to a PT to get some help because I was tired of the intermittent pain. The exercises he gave me, plus some I had found on the internet, finally did the trick. Now, my hamstring on the other side is giving me intermittent trouble. Time to go back to the exercises.