Jul 29 2015
Ohhh those pesky hamstrings: why we injure them, healing and strengthening, and how chiropractic treatment can help
Anatomy of the hamstrings:
The term ‘hamstrings’ actually encompasses three muscles and their adjoining tendons that are located on the back of each thigh, the biceps femoris, semitendinousus, and semimembranosus. Two of these muscles are located down the inner side of the back of the leg, and one is on the outside. The function of the hamstrings are to help bend the knee and move the thigh backwards, or decelerate the thigh as it moves forward.
Unfortunately, the hamstrings are not as elastic or “stretchy” compared to other large muscle groups, and are under a lot of stress when we play sports or undergo rigorous physical activity.
Types of hamstring injuries:
Injuries to hamstrings are one of the most common sports related injuries, and are graded depending on severity. A Grade 1 injury might just be a slight twinge or strain. A Grade 2 injury is more of a ‘pop’ or pull, and a Grade 3 hamstring injury could be a full tear or severe pull.
We usually strain our hamstring suddenly and in one of two ways: either from sprinting or high intensity athletics or movements, or stretch related injuries where the hamstring is pulled too far, such as with Cross Fit, gymnastics, or martial arts.
Why do these injuries happen? When we are sprinting, hamstrings are usually compromised lower down the back of the thigh, on the tendon where the long head of the biceps femoris muscle meets. During the running motion, the hamstring muscles work overtime to decelerate the lower leg just before your foot hits the ground, and that’s why it may be injured.
Conversely, over-stretch type injuries may build up over time, the hamstring being strained in the same area over and over until it eventually gives, or the overstretching happens all at once, but not from the same causes and in the same place.
When you injure your hamstrings happens, you are usually tearing or partially tearing the muscle or tendon, which comes with a sudden shooting pain and even a popping noise.
When a hamstring is injured there is usually swelling and bruising, though the bruise can appear a little later. If the tear is severe enough, a hardened lump may appear on the hamstring and it will be tender to the touch.
Causes of hamstring injuries:
Why are do athletes and weekend warriors injure their hamstrings so often, while the same people may go though their whole lives without one single thigh injury?
One reason can be genetics, as some people are born with shorter hamstrings, or they grow too slow compared to the rest of their body when they are young.
But the hamstrings just tend to be less elastic than other muscles and weaker at the tendon connection. Overuse is another reason we injure our hamstrings, fatigue from exercising, or often we perform intensive athletic movements without properly warming up the muscles behind the leg. As we get older, we naturally lose some of our elasticity and range of motion, too.
Healing:
The healing process for hamstring injuries depends on the severity and type of the injury. A minor pull or strain may heal fully within a couple weeks, but more severe tears can take three months or more to heal.
The problem is that we shouldn’t use our hamstrings during the recovery period, but people often come back and start working out again too quickly, which can cause reinjury or chronic problems.
When you first feel a hamstring injury, you should remember the acronym “RICE”.
Rest:
You should avoid putting any weight on the leg and rest it as much as possible, even using crutches if necessary.
Ice:
As soon as possible, add ice to the injured area, wrapping it in a towel. Apply ice every two or three hours for the first couple days to help reduce pain and swelling.
Compression:
Wrapping the leg with a bandage will help minimize bleeding in the muscle and reduce swelling. A compression bandage or sleeve (though not too tight) will also protect you from strain as you walk around, avoiding reinjury.
Elevation:
Elevate the leg higher than the chest, which will help blood flow and also fluid to drain from the injury
As soon as it feels comfortable and pain free, you should start doing light stretching, warming up and working the hamstring. Keep stretching it during the recovery process but give a hamstring injury plenty of time to fully heal before exercising again, or else it is far more likely to happen again.
Prevention and protection:
So what can you do to prevent your hamstrings from being injured, and protect them after recovery?
Many hamstring injuries are brought on because we don’t properly warm up before exerting ourselves. Warming up brings blood and oxygen to the hamstrings, easing into their maximum flexibility. You should also work into sprints and other strenuous exercise slowly, paying attention to how your hamstrings and other muscles feel. If you feel any strain or tightness, slow down and stretch or warm up some more.
Swimming is a great exercise that stretches and strengths your hamstrings without the danger of injury, and running up stairs and doing lunges (when healthy) will strengthen them as well.
There are more specific stretches and exercises you can do to improve the flexibility and strength of your hamstrings and help prevent injuries. Email us and we’d be happy to share those.
How chiropractic treatment will help:
Just like anything in the fine-tuned system that is your body, hamstrings don’t exist and work in isolation. In fact, problems with the lower back or pelvis will increase the prevalence of hamstring injuries. If you have ongoing problems with your hamstrings or recurring strains, it’s time to check in with your chiropractor. We will examine your entire “kinetic chain” from your feet, knees, hamstrings, hips, pelvis, and lower back. We can also look at the biomechanics of how you run, exercise, or your posture at work or studying, which can all affect your propensity to injury your hamstrings.
Chiropractic adjustment and spinal manipulation can correct issues, increasing nerve stimulation in the hamstrings or injured areas, increasing strength, flexibility, and protecting them from getting injured in the future.
If you’d like more information about your hamstrings, sports injuries, or how chiropractic care can help, please get in touch!
Oct 5 2016
Athletes, sports and chiropractic care!
But chiropractic care – not hospitalizations and dangerous drugs – are the best first defense against sports injuries for young and old athletes alike. Chiropractic care is the optimal way to treat these injuries and allow the body to naturally heal the root cause of pain and discomfort.
But you don’t have to be an elite athlete to suffer back pain or sports injuries. In fact, there are about 30 million children in the U.S. people who play organized sports – and that doesn’t count all of the kids that play pickup or recreational sports. Each year, high school athletes alone suffer 2 million injuries resulting in 30,000 hospitalizations.
So which sports are the hardest on the body and cause the most lower back pain? Some of the findings are fairly predictable, but some may surprise you.
Instance of lower back pain by sport:
85% Gymnastics
80% Weightlifting
69% Wrestling
58% Soccer
50% Tennis
30% Golf
Intercollegiate athletes see their share of lower back injuries, considering that an alarming 7-13% of all injuries in college sports are lower back injuries. Of those back injuries, 60% are simple muscle strains while 7% are disc injuries.
Other common sports injuries include neck pain, whiplash, concussions, sport hernias, MCL sprains, quadriceps sprains, hamstring sprains, ankle sprains, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis.
It’s no wonder why 39% of college athletes receive chiropractic treatment and most major college athletic departments now have a chiropractor on staff.
In part thanks to those chiropractic treatments, research also shows that athletes don’t tend to have lingering lower back issues at the rate of the general population, most likely because their fitness level, activity, and other health factors make them quick healers with lower back pain actually less common for former athletes than non-athletes.
75% of non-athletes experience some lower back pain, compared to only 31% for athletes. However, disc degeneration is far more common for elite athletes than non-athletes because of the massive strain and stress they place on their body.
But injuries and lower back pain are just one of the ways chiropractic care can aid the modern athlete. In fact, 90% of all world-class athletes also now use regular chiropractic care to amplify their performance, avoid injuries, and recover faster.
Research shows that athletes see a 6.12% increase in their athletic performance after receiving spinal adjustments from a chiropractor. In fact, after only12 weeks of chiropractic treatments, athletes measure 30% higher in their hand-eye coordination.
Chiropractic care certainly doesn’t stop when young and teen athletes progress. In fact, elite athletes in every sport use chiropractic care.
72% of PGA golfers on tour receive chiropractic care.
A near-perfect batting average .930 of Major League Baseball teams have a chiropractor on staff, and the same goes for the majority of pro basketball and hockey teams. Every single NFL franchise employs a team chiropractor now, up from 31% in 2002. In fact, during a typical NFL football season, chiropractors give 16,320-27,200 individual treatments to these pro players!
The reality is that every athlete in every sport or physical endeavor will see tangible benefits from regular chiropractic care. For instance, chiropractic treatments can help basketball players improve their speed, flexibility, balance, and strength. Baseball players jump higher, increase coordinate and strength when they get regularly visit a chiropractor. U.S. judo athletes experienced a 16% stronger grip after just three chiropractic sessions.
Chiropractic also allows the body to heal naturally, boosting the immune system and speeding recovery from injuries. 80% of hockey-related injuries, which often include painful shoulder problems, can be managed with four treatments or less. Chiropractic care can ease discomfort in 50% of tennis players that suffer from tennis elbow. Soccer players with groin strains or pulls see relief in only 8 weeks or less with chiropractic care. 100% of runners with join problems said that chiropractic care reduced their pain and symptoms, allowing them to maintain or increase their mileage and keep training.
Even Olympians love chiropractic care, as the U.S. team in Rio De Janeiro this summer brought plenty of chiropractors along, boosting their performance and helping them manage injuries on the way to a record Gold Medal winning performance. In fact, chiropractors have been a mainstay at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, where U.S. exercise physiologist Sean Atkins estimates that at least 90% of top athletes utilize chiropractic on a regular basis.
If you have a child playing organized sports, a high schooler excelling at competitive sports, or even if you’re the proud parent of a college athlete, the best advantage you could give them is access to regular chiropractic treatments and care. Feel free to contact us for a simple evaluation!
By Norm Schriever • Exercise, General Health News, Uncategorized • Tags: athletic performance, athletics, chiropractic and sports, chiropractic athletic enhancement, chiropratic at the olympics, sports injuries