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Hamstring Strain



What Is a Hamstring Strain?


Hamstring strains can be relatively mild, with little pain and a short recovery time. Or, in the case of complete muscle tears, they can require surgery to repair and put a person on crutches for weeks.


What Are the Symptoms of a Hamstring Strain?


Other symptoms of a hamstring strain include:

  • pain in the back of your thigh when you flex or extend your leg
  • tenderness, swelling, and bruising in the affected area

In the event of a particularly severe strain or complete tear, you may feel a gap in the torn muscle.

How Is a Hamstring Strain Diagnosed?

If your hamstring strain is severe enough that it requires medical attention, the doctor will examine your leg and ask you questions about how the injury happened and how much pain you have.

The doc also will probably press on the back of your thigh to check for swelling and tenderness. This helps the doctor figure out what grade of strain you have:

  • Grade 3; this is a complete tear of one or more of the hamstring muscles. Walking will be very difficult and may require crutches or another walking aid. You'll feel hurt, especially when you bend or straighten your knee, and you will notice swelling immediately.

What Causes a Hamstring Strain?

A hamstring strain generally occurs as a result of muscle overload, such as when you are running and your leg is fully extended just before your foot strikes the ground. In a situation like that, the hamstring muscles can get stretched too far, and if they're forced to take on a sudden load — like when your foot strikes the ground and all your weight is on it — they may start to tear.



  • Not warming up and stretching properly before exercising. Tight muscles are much more likely to strain than muscles that are stretched and kept strong and flexible.
  • An imbalance in the size of your leg muscles. It's not uncommon for the quadriceps, the muscles at the front of your legs, to be larger and more powerful than your hamstring muscles. When you do an activity that involves running, the hamstring muscles can grow fatigued more quickly than the quadriceps, putting them at greater risk of a strain.

How Can You Prevent a Hamstring Strain?


  • Warm up and stretch properly before exercise or intense physical activity. Jog in place for a minute or two, or do some jumping jacks to get your muscles going. Then do some dynamic stretching — ask your coach or an athletic trainer to show you how. After you play, do some static stretches where you gently stretch your muscles, holding each stretch for 30 seconds or more.
  • If you feel pain in your thigh, stop your activity immediately. If you're worried that you might have strained your hamstring, give it time to rest and don't resume your activity until your leg feels strong, you have no pain, and you can move your injured leg as freely as the other one.

What's the Treatment for a Hamstring Strain?

The good news is that only the most severe muscle tears require surgery. Most hamstring strains will heal on their own in a relatively short time.

To treat a hamstring strain, follow these tips:

    • Compress. Use bandages or wraps to help support your leg and keep the swelling down if your doctor recommends doing so.
  • Do stretching and strengthening exercises. After the pain and swelling have improved, ask your doctor about a rehabilitation and exercise program to improve your leg's strength and flexibility.

If you have a complete tear of one of your hamstring muscles or tendons that can't be treated by other methods, your doctor might order surgery to reattach the tendon to the bone or stitch the muscle back together.

Not overdoing things is key when it comes to this type of injury. So follow your doctor's advice and don't push yourself or feel pressure to get back into sports or other activities too soon. It's easy to reinjure a hamstring.

Reviewed by: Kathleen B. O'Brien, MD
Date reviewed: March 2011

Kids Health

