Facts about torn hamstring

Factsabout Torn Hamstrings

Tornhamstrings can be very painful and typically occur during normalactivity, exercise or sporting activities. Proper treatment for atorn hamstring includes a lot of rest as well as a consultation witha medical professional to diagnose the extent of the damage andprescribe a care regime.

Thehamstring is situated in the back of the thigh. It is a collection oftendons that aid the movement of the knee and the hip joints. Thesetendons are used very frequently, as they are used duringconventional ambulation, and are thus quite debilitating wheninjured. Professional athletes most commonly suffer sprained orpulled hamstrings as a result of their strenuous exercise. While theyare painful injuries, torn hamstrings can be healed relatively easilywith excellent and immediate treatment.

Symptoms

Physicalstrain on the hamstring during sporting activities tends to be themost common cause of hamstring injuries. Direct trauma or forceplaced upon the hamstring can also damage it in this way. Determiningwhether or not an injury is actually a torn hamstring is the firststep; this happens before any sort of treatment is instituted.Certain symptoms can indicate a torn hamstring. These includesubstantial bruising of the skin on and around the hamstring due tosmall muscle tears involved in the injury, muscle spasms and generalmuscle pain in the same area, swelling and inflammation of the areaand restriction of or pain during knee joint movement.

Careand Recovery

Mostpeople find torn hamstrings extremely painful, but proper therapy andmedication will help alleviate the symptoms caused by such an injury.Medical attention is not always required and some or most of thetreatments for this injury can be taken care of at home. Limit themovement of the injured joint; it must rest as completely as possibleto avoid any undue stress on the ligaments. To ease the pain, a coldcompress can be applied to the area. Alternatively, wrapping some icecubes in a clean cloth or towel will suffice. This will not onlyreduce the pain, but also the swelling which indeed causes some ofthe pain. Decreasing pressure on the affected muscles without causingpain is advised to aid in the healing process.

Ifwalking is necessary, use something for support so that not all ofthe weight is transferred to that leg and take small, gentle steps.Muscle spasms can be alleviated by a muscle relaxant cream or gel,perhaps one that a doctor has prescribed. Pain relief medication isalso beneficial in cases of extreme pain or inflammation of thejoint.

Whento Seek Medical Attention

Minorinjuries of this type will usually repair themselves without medicalintervention, since the muscle tears are so tiny they will usuallyheal by themselves. Worsening pain can be a cause for a consultationwith a medical professional. However, a suspected rupture of thehamstring muscles will require urgent medical attention. More serioushamstring tears may require surgery to repair, thereby requiring amuch longer period of recovery.