Ben Davis Athletic Training Name _______________________________ Hamstring Injuries Date ______________________ The Hamstring muscles are a group of three muscles that lie on the posterior of the upper leg. The hamstrings are responsible for flexing the knee (bending) and extending the hip (drawing the upper leg back at the hip joint). A muscle strain any muscle of this group can be frustrating because of the high- speed demands on the hamstring group. A hamstring strain that heels with prolonged rest, isolated strengthening without the benefit of functional training is destined to be re- injured. Sprinters and athletes who demand quick acceleration must rehabilitate the injury with this in mind or suffer repeated incidents of the same problem. Scar tissue that builds up from this injury can limit the speed and strength of the hamstring muscular contraction. The rehabilitation program below will be a combination of strength and speed work that will allow the hamstring to heal in a proper functional manner. The Athlete Trainers have determined that hamstring strain is ____________________ because _____________________________________________________________________. Please follow the instructions below. 1. Ice Pack 15 minutes – 4 times Daily 2. Anti-inflammatory Medication: Take Two Alieve (Naproxen Sodium) two times per day with food OR take two Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) three times per day with food for _________ days. Discontinue taking medication if stomach becomes irritated. 3. Wear an elastic support when prescribed by the athletic trainer or therapist. Use crutches when prescribed by an athletic trainer or therapist. 4. Daily or Every other day Deep Friction Massage for 5 minutes for chronic problems. Be careful using this with acute injuries. 5. Alter workout to avoid those activities that aggravate the muscle strain. __________________________________________ 6. Have injured treated before after practice or game. ____ Make an appointment with a doctor. Dr. Steve Hartsock is our team doctor and has an office at IU West Hospital (329- 7350 or 944-9400). Our orthopedic consultant is Dr. John McCarroll of Methodist Sports Medicine (817-1200). Please check your insurance to see if either of these doctors is covered by your policy before making an appointment. Other Modifications: ___________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ If you or your parents have any questions call _____________________________________ at 988-7191 or 988-7291. Stretching: PNF Stretching – Contract and Relax From the partner stretch position, the patient pushes his leg down toward the table with the knee locked out straight. The partner resists enough for there to be slow movement toward the table. After 10 seconds of resistance, the patient relaxes and the partner brings the leg back up to a stretched position for 10 – 30 seconds. Functional Squatting Hamstring Stretch With feet flat on the floor slightly wider than _______ Repetitions _______ Sets per day. shoulder width and knees bent. Place the hands flat on the ground about 12” apart. Keeping the hands on the ground, slowly begin to raise the buttocks and straighten the knees. ______ seconds hold ______ Reps _______ x daily Isolated Strengthening: Advanced Strengthening: Skate Boards Kneeling hamstring strengthening Uninjured foot should stand on a 4” riser. Gentle oscillating of the leg from knee flexion to extension to simulate a running motion but the foot does not make contact with the ground. Initially done slowly with progression to ballistic movements. Also progressed by lying prone on the floor to lying over a bed/counter top with the hip bent at 90. (This simulates the running motion of the Kneel on a padded area with an assistant holding the ankles. leg.) As tolerance improves, add resistance in the Keep back straight and lean forward to initiate tension on form of rubber tubing attached in front of hamstrings. patient. Begin by holding for only a few seconds to holding for up to 20 seconds. _____________ minutes 4 x daily ________ reps __________ sets 1 time daily Forward Lunge Walks and Backward Lunge Walks Forward: ________ sets 1 x daily Place weights in hand. Step forward until front knee is bent to 90. Trail leg knee approaches ground. Come up over front foot. Take 12 steps per set. Backward: ________ sets 1 x daily Place weights in hand. Step backward in a straight line until stationary knee is bent to 90. Shift weight back to lead foot and rise over that leg/foot. Take 12 steps per set 45 Lunge Walks ________ sets 1 x daily Similar to Forward Lunge walks, but the patient steps out to the side at a 45 angle. The lead knee still bends to 90 Heels on floor bent-knee bridging – hold contraction for ___ seconds, repeat ___ times. Progressions are one-leg bridges and increase time holding. Heels on chair straight-knee bridging – hold contraction for five seconds, repeat five times. Progressions are one-leg bridges; vary the knee angle between locked-in extension to 90 degrees bent, bridge on a Swiss ball. Foam Rollers in the Athletic Training Room - set upper leg (hamstring) on foam roller and move leg forward and back so that the roller rolls out the length of the muscle. Hold over areas of soreness until relieved. ______ minutes Revised 7-26-13 .