Nagging Hamstring Injury

[travlerajm]

This has been severely limiting my movement for last 3 months. Won’t seem to heal. Any tips?

It’s at the upper part of hamstring where it meets the glut. I had a pretty bad tear in mid part of the muscle 6 years ago, healed by stretching on stairwell while warmed up. Then again tweaked same 4 years ago, but healed quickly. This time is first time on upper part of muscle, and won’t go away.

 

[3loudboys]

Probably best to seek the opinion of a sports physio. I ruptured my hamstring tendon to the knee and that took 9 months of rest and recuperation. Process was aided by professional advice. Would hate that you got advice on these boards that aggravated it further. Wish you a speedy recovery.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I'm rehabbing now: PT thinks it's more tightness elsewhere, not specifically the glute/hamstring/piraformis. My RoM is improving although it still feels tight at the end of the range, more so than before.

 

[travlerajm]

I'm rehabbing now: PT thinks it's more tightness elsewhere, not specifically the glute/hamstring/piraformis. My RoM is improving although it still feels tight at the end of the range, more so than before.

Today, after a week of driving long distances with limited physical activity, then two days trying to play singles, I noticed the tightness has spread from hamstring both up and down my entire left leg to glut and calf.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Today, after a week of driving long distances with limited physical activity, then two days trying to play singles, I noticed the tightness has spread from hamstring both up and down my entire left leg to glut and calf.

Driving also triggered more tightness for me and I wasn't even driving for long [< 1 hour].

 

[Booger]

I had a bad upper hamstring tear. I don't want to scare you, but it took a LONG time to heal.

There is very little blood flow to that upper hamstring attachment site. If it's in the budget ($1000-$1500 here in the US), look into a platelet rich plasma injection right at the injury site under ultrasound. It's one of the best use cases for that technology.

 

[jindra]

Google "Nordic Hamstring Curl."

 

[travlerajm]

I had a bad upper hamstring tear. I don't want to scare you, but it took a LONG time to heal.

There is very little blood flow to that upper hamstring attachment site. If it's in the budget ($1000-$1500 here in the US), look into a platelet rich plasma injection right at the injury site under ultrasound. It's one of the best use cases for that technology.

I presume there is even less blood flow to the injury site when I’m driving.

 

[Booger]

I presume there is even less blood flow to the injury site when I’m driving.

Yes. When I go on a road trip, I still use an air seat cushion to keep from aggravating it.

 

[travlerajm]

Google "Nordic Hamstring Curl."

Typing this from a Nordic country, so caught my interest. But judging from the pics looks like a young man’s exercise better for more muscles with more elasticity. Don’t think it’s for me.

 

[jindra]

Typing this from a Nordic country, so caught my interest. But judging from the pics looks like a young man’s exercise better for more muscles with more elasticity. Don’t think it’s for me.

Good luck living with this for the rest of your life.

 

[yossarian]

Google "Nordic Hamstring Curl."

LOL do not do this if you're suspecting a proximal hamstring tear. That's something you build up to

You don't load an injury by beginning with the most difficult exercise

 

[jindra]

LOL do not do this if you're suspecting a proximal hamstring tear. That's something you build up to

You don't load an injury by beginning with the most difficult exercise

That's why I told him to Google it. But as you know, he either starts loading that tendon eccentrically or he's effed.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Google "Nordic Hamstring Curl."

I invented this exercise using my exercise band: I put one foot into the handle and with the other foot step on the band close to the handle, then do the curl. Bonus if I can do it without holding on to anything.

It works the glute and hammy of the curling leg but also the core, quad, and ankle of the stationary leg.

 

[Hagberg]

I have had some hamstring problem for 4+ months now manifesting itself when running and walking.
Stumbled on a YouTube video on the "Bob & Brad" channel named "biggest walking mistake we see". Go find it and have a look!

Turned out, I matched the symptoms and problems they brought up. There is a simple test in that video one can do.
I was walking and running a lot with my heel first into the ground. My glutes were not very involved etc.

I educated myself on proper running technique and started practicing during long walks and runs. I can now run without feeling anything in my injured hamstring even though the injury is still there. It's getting better slowly.
As a bonus, I'm now also running faster with less effort than with the heel down technique.

There are plenty of videos out there that do a much better job than "Bob & Brad" describing how to walk and run properly so don't take that part of their video too seriously.

 

[travlerajm]

Had two back-to-back 6h plane rides yesterday. On the 2nd, I became unable to sit at my seat halfway thru without severe discomfort. This feeling of wanting to extend my leg, but without space to do so. I had to stand in aisle and do what limited movements I could for half an hour before I could return to my seat and tolerate the remainder of the flight.

 

[onehandbh]

I invented this exercise using my exercise band: I put one foot into the handle and with the other foot step on the band close to the handle, then do the curl. Bonus if I can do it without holding on to anything.

It works the glute and hammy of the curling leg but also the core, quad, and ankle of the stationary leg.

Can you descend down and come back up without the assistance of a band?

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Can you descend down and come back up without the assistance of a band?

Yes but that's much easier [for me]. The band introduces more instability and resistance: it's not assistance, it's hindrance.

Maybe I'm mis-interpreting what you're describing: doing the curl without the band is trivial compared to with the band.

 

[norcal]

I tore my upper hamstring (where it meets the glute) last October. Could not sit/especially drive long distances without it hurting like crazy.

You need to see a physical therapist and get a personalized rehab program going (you can do it wherever). DO NOT overwork/load it too soon. Figure out the right exercises/stretches and do them religiously. You can wear a neoprene brace/sleeve to keep it warm and flexy when exercising.

It's been nearly a year and I can still feel my hammy although it is also stronger and more flexible now due to all the rehab. Took 7-8 months till I didn't have to worry and could run full out. I went too hard too soon and it set me back a couple months; don't be dumb like me.

I found these guys to have a great series of stuff for hamstring sports rehab...but start with your own PT first then go from there.

https://www.youtube.com/c/E3Rehab/search?query=hamstring