To run, jump, and participate in most sports, you need healthy hamstrings. Whether you’re an athlete or just someone who wants to walk around without discomfort, it pays to know how to heal a hamstring fast. Hamstring injuries can be incredibly uncomfortable and even worsen over time when left untreated.
Not sure where to start? Read on to learn a few easy tips on how to heal a hamstring fast. Know, too, that if your hamstrings were injured because of an on-the-job injury, at-fault driver, or through the fault of someone else, you may also have grounds for a lawsuit. Call Schwartzapfel Lawyers today at 1-516-342-2200 or visit us online for a free consultation and more information.
What Are Hamstring Injuries?
Your hamstrings are the five powerful tendons located at the back of your knees. Given their location, your hamstrings are incredibly important for leg movement. If you receive a hamstring injury, you’ll likely feel it at the back of your thigh.
Practicing a warm-up hamstring stretch prevents the back of the thigh from being as likely to suffer a muscle strain or pulled hamstring. Strengthening your glutes can also help prevent hamstring strain injuries, as the buttock muscles and hamstrings work together to prevent muscular overload.
Without your hamstrings, you often can’t walk properly, jump, run, or carry out any normal daily activities without assistance. It’s why many athletes and workouts incorporate strengthening exercises to get blood flow moving and to prevent overstretching. An injured leg is no fun, so gentle stretching is often ideal.
Hamstring injuries can be debilitating and difficult to live with. Unfortunately, hamstring injuries are common sports injuries. According to recent statistics, the proportion of hamstring injuries diagnosed increased from 12% to 24% between the years of 2002 and 2022. In other words, hamstring injuries are becoming more common.
Hamstring sprains and even complete muscle tears are particularly likely and difficult for athletes. According to the National Institute of Health, hamstring strains account for approximately 12% to 16% of all injuries in athletes. These also have a high reinjury rate, sometimes as high as 34%.
Hamstring injuries can be minor, moderate, or severe in terms of their pain and difficulty. Some hamstring injuries may simply lead to some discomfort while walking around. Others may be so difficult and severe that they prevent walking entirely.
Note, too, that hamstring injuries may be accompanied by partial muscle tears in the quadriceps, biceps femoris, hip flexors, and more during physical activity. Moreover, you can recover from a hamstring strain fast and minimize recovery time by prioritizing the healing process.
What Are Common Symptoms Of Hamstring Injuries?
Your hamstring injury symptoms can vary depending on their severity, their causes, and other factors. However, common hamstring injury symptoms include:
- Pain and soreness around the knee area in the back of the knees
- Swelling around the hamstring area
- Muscle spasms
- Weakness in the legs
- Stiffness or a limited range of motion
- Discomfort when you make movements that involve your leg muscles
It’s a good idea to seek out medical attention if your hamstring injuries are extremely painful. If you leave your hamstring injuries alone without treating them, they can become worse and worse over time, leading to even more intense pain and further physical complications.
To learn more now, call Schwartzapfel Lawyers at 1-516-342-2200 or visit us online to schedule a free consultation and so much more.
What Are Ways To Heal A Hamstring Quickly?
Fortunately, there are ways in which you can heal a hamstring quickly (though, if your hamstrings are extremely injured, you should seek out medical attention first and foremost). Let’s take a closer look.
Rest And Elevate Your Legs
First, you should rest and elevate your legs. By elevating your legs, you take pressure off the hamstrings and give them the opportunity to heal. Resting and elevating your legs are core components of the RICE protocol, which many athletes use to heal sore muscles and injured hamstrings. RICE stands for “rest, ice, compression, and elevation.”
Naturally, you should also avoid any activities that could potentially harm your hamstrings further or cause increased discomfort, swelling, or pain. If that means skipping a sports activity or spending most of the day on the couch, so be it.
Apply An Ice Pack
You can also consider applying an ice pack to the affected area. As noted above, using ice and/or a compression pack or pad can help to soothe your injured muscles and inspire healing in the injured area.
An ice pack can numb the nerves around your hamstrings, which can provide temporary pain relief and help you get rest. You can make your own ice pack at home by putting ice in a Ziploc bag or purchasing an ice pack from a pharmacy or grocery store.
Use OTC Medication If Needed
Over-the-counter (OTC) medication like ibuprofen, Tylenol, and more could be helpful if you wish to minimize your pain symptoms and reduce swelling in your hamstring area. Both Tylenol and ibuprofen are anti-inflammatory medications, so they can reduce discomfort and keep your pain to a minimum. They can be useful when you need to sleep.
However, note that over-the-counter medications are only appropriate in small doses and for a short amount of time. If your hamstrings do not recover soon after using OTC medication, seek medical attention from a licensed professional.
Complete Physical Therapy And Exercises
Certain physical therapy practices or exercises can assist with hamstring recovery. When you work with a physical therapist, they may have you perform stretches and exercises designed to strengthen your hamstrings safely and maximize their recovery rate. Therapeutic exercise can be important if your hamstrings are severely injured or cut and need to heal back to their full extent.
Depending on the nature of your hamstring injuries, different exercises might be appropriate. These include but are not limited to:
- Squatting
- Lifting
- Bending
- Lunges
If you work with a physical therapist, they may also use manual therapy. Manual therapy involves massaging the affected area to relieve your musculoskeletal pain and help your hamstrings heal a little more quickly. Deep friction massages can further break up scar tissue, help your muscles and hamstrings stretch, and lead to other recovery.
For more on this at no cost, call Schwartzapfel Lawyers now at 1-516-342-2200 now!
What Happens If Your Hamstrings Don’t Heal Quickly?
If your hamstrings don’t heal quickly, you may need to speak to a doctor about further efforts. A licensed medical professional should be able to diagnose any long-term conditions you may need to tackle, plus help you determine the root cause of your hamstring injuries if you don’t know it already.
Of course, medical consultations, physical therapy, and other treatments can be extremely expensive, especially if your hamstrings require ongoing treatment and medical care. In these instances, you might wonder whether you can sue the at-fault party responsible for your hamstring injuries.
Paying For Medical Treatment For Hamstring Injuries
Hamstring injuries can occur through athletic events, but they can also come from auto accidents, construction accidents, on-the-job injuries, and even slip and fall incidents. In each of these situations, another person or party could be responsible for your injuries and possibly liable for damages.
In New York State, whether you can sue someone for your injuries depends on their severity and if you can prove they were grossly negligent in their behavior. For instance, suppose you are dining at a restaurant where the manager neglects to place a wet floor sign, leading to your slip and fall. In such a situation, if you choose to file a lawsuit, the restaurant may be held liable for any damages.
Now imagine you are injured in an auto crash and injure your hamstrings as a result. Here, you may not be able to successfully sue the at-fault driver unless you can prove that their actions were grossly negligent and/or malicious.
As you can see, knowing whether or not you can seek financial compensation for hamstring injury medical treatments can be difficult, even in the best of circumstances.
That’s why you should speak to Schwartzapfel Lawyers at 1-516-342-2200 or online right away. Our knowledgeable attorneys can:
- Provide sound legal counsel throughout the entire process. We’re experienced in personal injury, auto crash, on-the-job injury, and many other kinds of cases!
- Gather evidence on your behalf. This can give you the time you need to rest and let your hamstrings recover rather than being out and about.
- Represent you in court or arbitration meetings, depending on the form your legal case takes.
Most of all, qualified attorneys can provide you with peace of mind as they move to recover damages for your past and future medical bills, pain and discomfort, and more.
Contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers Today
When in doubt, any potentially injured hamstring should be looked at by a certified medical professional. Furthermore, if your medical bills become too much to pay off by yourself, you may want to consider pursuing a lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Whatever your situation, you shouldn’t wait to contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers. Our knowledgeable, experienced attorneys can assist with auto accident lawsuits, workers’ compensation lawsuits, and everything in between.
To get in touch with one of our award-winning representatives today, simply dial 1-516-342-2200 or visit us online to schedule your free case evaluation. It will be our honor and privilege to fight for you!
DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this page should be considered legal advice. You should seek the appropriate counsel your situation requires. For more information, call 1-516-342-2200 now!
Sources:
Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. | Fighting For You
Hamstring Muscles: Location, Anatomy & Function | Cleveland Clinic
Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) | Kaiser Permanente
