Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Your Care Instructions The hamstring muscles are the three muscles in the back of the thigh. How can you care for yourself at home? Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen Tylenol , ibuprofen Advil, Motrin , or naproxen Aleve. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Put ice or a cold pack on the painful area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days when you are awake or until the swelling goes down. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. After 2 or 3 days, if your swelling is gone, apply heat. Put a warm water bottle, a heating pad set on low, or a warm cloth over the painful area.
Do not go to sleep with a heating pad on your skin. Avoid sitting if possible, unless it feels better than standing. Alternate lying down with short walks. Increase your walking distance as you are able to walk without making your symptoms worse. Don't do anything that makes your symptoms worse. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Alzahrani M, et al. Hamstring injuries in athletes: Diagnosis and treatment.
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. DeLee JC, et al. Hamstring injuries. Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed Sept. Hay WW, et al. Sports medicine. New York, N. Sprains and strains. Recovering from a hamstring injury may take days, weeks or months, depending on how severe it is. A completely torn hamstring may take several months to heal and you'll be unable to resume training or play sport during this time. During the first 2 or 3 days, you should care for your injury using RICE therapy:.
Regular painkillers, such as paracetamol or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID cream or gel, may also help relieve the pain. Short-term use of oral NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen tablets, can also help reduce swelling and inflammation. However, these are not suitable for everyone. Check the leaflet that comes with your medicine to see if you can take it. Returning to strenuous exercise too quickly could make your injury worse, but avoiding exercise for too long can cause your hamstring muscles to shrink and scar tissue to form around the tear.
To avoid this, you should start doing gentle hamstring stretches after a few days, when the pain has started to subside. This should be followed by a programme of gentle exercise, such as walking and cycling , and hamstring strengthening exercises. Your GP can give you further advice and, if necessary, refer you to a physiotherapist for a suitable exercise programme.
To avoid injuring yourself again, you should only return to a full level of activity when your hamstring muscles are strong enough. Your physiotherapist or GP will be able to advise you about this. Many people need to avoid sports for at least a few weeks, but the length of time you need off will depend on the severity of your injury.
Page last reviewed: 30 July Next review due: 30 July Hamstring injury. The 3 grades of hamstring injury are: grade 1 — a mild muscle pull or strain grade 2 — a partial muscle tear grade 3 — a complete muscle tear The length of time it takes to recover from a hamstring strain or tear will depend on how severe the injury is.
The hamstrings The hamstrings are tendons strong bands of tissue at the back of the thighs that attach the large thigh muscle to the bone.
0コメント