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After an injury it may be some time before y'all recover full range of motion and force in the affected area of the body. Injuries to the hamstrings are no dissimilar in this regard and will require you to slowly stretch and restrengthen the muscle. Hamstring injuries are common in athletes and at that place are many techniques you lot can use to help the healing process.[ane] Take your time when rebuilding flexibility and forcefulness in your hamstring to speed recovery and forbid further injury.

  1. 1

    Visit your doc. Fifty-fifty if you don't believe your injury is severe you will want to visit with your md. Your doctor will be able to accurately judge the severity of your injury, offer treatment, and become you started towards a quick recovery. If you have a hamstring injury visit your doctor before outset whatever treatment or recovery exercise authorities.

    • There are three grades of hamstring injury. Class 1 is a strain, grade 2 is a fractional tear, and grade 3 is a full tearing of the muscle.
    • Your doctor tin tell you how long your injury may take to heal.
    • Initial treatment methods can be demonstrated by your physician.

  2. 2

    Ask your medico whether balance or motility is best for your injury. Putting your injured hamstring to use can help speed up its recovery, but your doctor may not recommend movement if your injury is astringent. Earlier you determine to move or residual your hamstring during your recovery, talk to your doc to run into what they think volition be the nigh beneficial.

    • Astringent injuries may crave you to use crutches.

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  3. 3

    Apply ice to the injury to assistance with pain. In improver to resting the injured hamstring, applying ice will help alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Merely go along in mind that ice volition decrease the blood flow to your hamstring, which can prevent your injury from healing as quickly. Try to limit how often you lot use ice on your hamstring so it heals faster.[ii]

    • Always wrap ice in a towel to foreclose frostbite.
    • Apply the ice for no more 20 minutes at a time.

  4. 4

    Use estrus to the injury to speed upwards your recovery. Oestrus encourages blood menstruation, which is necessary for an injury to heal. Encompass your injury with a heating pad or a warm, damp wash material. You lot can too soak your injury in a warm bathroom. Employ rut to your injury daily during your recovery so it heals faster.[3]

  5. v

    Elevate the affected area. Elevating your leg will work with the other steps of initial treatment to minimize the amount of swelling. Keeping swelling to a minimum is important when trying to reduce the amount of flexibility and strength lost. E'er proceed the injury elevated when resting and recovering.[iv]

    • Putting a pillow under your leg is enough to elevate the area.

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  1. one

    Talk with your doctor. Before you lot brainstorm any recovery exercise programme you volition need to talk with your doctor. Your doc will exist able to judge if you are able to appoint in such a program, which exercises are the best fit for you lot, and how you can avoid re-injuring the expanse. Talk with your doctor to learn more near your personalized recovery plan.

    • Depending on your injury, your doctor may recommend you use the newer METH (move, elevation, traction, heat) method of recovery or the older RICE (residue, ice, compress, elevation) method of recovery.
    • Your doctor will be able to tell yous what level of practice is advisable for your state of affairs.
    • Visiting your doctor will permit y'all both to better rail your recovery.

  2. 2

    Beginning rehabilitation as soon equally possible. It's important that you lot beginning moving your injured hamstring as soon as possible so it'due south able to heal faster. One time yous get the OK from your doctor, start doing gentle range of motion movements with your hamstring.[5]

    • Heel lifts and rear leg lifts are both exercises you can use to improve the blood menstruation to your injured hamstring and then information technology heals faster.
    • Brand sure you've talked to your doctor before y'all incorporate movement into your recovery plan. Depending on the severity of your injury, they may recommend y'all use the RICE method of recovery instead.

  3. 3

    Ease into your fitness regime. In nearly every case of recovery and rehabilitation yous will be required to work slowly to regain the intensity you were used to. Trying to do as well much, also chop-chop, volition likely upshot in further injury, improper healing, or a slower recovery process.[vi]

    • Stop any exercise immediately if you feel any hurting.

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  1. 1

    Try a standing hamstring stretch. Afterwards a hamstring injury and a period of balance, you will likely have lost flexibility in the area. A great way to recover this lost flexibility is to brainstorm stretching the injured muscle, working slowly over time to increase the range of motility. Try the following stretch to get started regaining flexibility in your injured hamstring:[7] [8]

    • Place your injured leg on a apartment surface that is around hip height.
    • Keep your genu from bending and try to straighten out your leg along the surface.
    • Gently and carefully lean toward your toes.
    • When leaning frontward proceed your back direct and bend at the hips only.
    • Stop when you feel discomfort or pain.

  2. 2

    Use the seated hamstring stretch. If your hamstring is peculiarly tight or injured, you may want to attempt the seated hamstring stretch. This stretch will permit you to sit comfortably and extend your leg outwards, letting you lot gently and safely stretch your hamstring. Have the following actions when using this stretch:

    • Sit downward on any apartment surface.
    • Gently extend the injured leg up, bringing your foot into the air.
    • Motion slowly and don't over-stretch your hamstring.
    • Pay attention to how your hamstring is feeling during this move.
    • Feeling tightness in the muscle is normal. Even so, feeling pain while stretching is a sign that you accept pushed also far.
    • Stop if y'all experience any pain or discomfort during the stretch.

  3. 3

    Lay down and stretch your hamstring. Laying downwards and stretching your hamstring can offer a deeper stretch than other methods. This method can assist restore range of move and help you return to a level of activeness that y'all enjoyed earlier the injury. Try the following deportment to stretch your hamstring while laying down:

    • Lay downwardly on a flat surface.
    • Raise your injured genu up, bringing it towards your breast. Stop when your knee and lower leg are straight up.
    • Gently begin to extend your lower leg upwards, attempting to bring your entire leg into a straight line that points upwards towards the ceiling.
    • Work slowly every bit you lot attempt to straighten out your leg at the genu.
    • Cease immediately if you experience any pain or discomfort.

  4. four

    Use chair drags to build strength. Later on your hamstring injury you will likely take lost some strength in the injured leg. Before you can safely return to pre-injury action levels you will need to regain that lost forcefulness. The chair drag is a unproblematic exercise you can use to start recovering force and getting you fully active again.

    • Sit on a chair with wheels.
    • Extend your injured leg outwards, placing your foot on the ground.
    • Employ your leg and hamstring to pull yourself forward.
    • Continue dragging yourself around in this way to build upward the muscle in your injured leg.
    • Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort in your hamstring.
    • Work slowly and advisedly when doing this exercise to avoid farther injury.

  5. 5

    Go along building strength with gentle practice. Resting your leg and hamstring after an injury will upshot in lost muscle tissue and strength. The best style to regain strength is to start small and gradually work upwards to greater amounts of intensity in your workouts. Ever outset with very calorie-free practise to avoid injuring the area again.

    • Walking can exist a simple practise that tin build strength and avoid further injury.
    • Riding a cycle can be gentle plenty and notwithstanding allow y'all to build strength in your hamstring.
    • Stepping upwardly onto a high pace can target the hamstring and rebuild strength.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    How tin I heal a hamstring pull speedily?

    Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

    Scott Anderson is the Main Clinical Officeholder at SyncThink, an honor winning startup founded out of Stanford University. Scott previously served every bit the Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Preparation for Stanford University for over ten years from 2007 to 2017. Scott has over 18 years of clinical and management experience, and is a recognized international speaker on topics of clinical specialization, which include developmental kinesiology, neuroscience/concussion, and motility dysfunction. He is a certified Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Practitioner (DNSP), Sports Condom Specialist and is certified to conduct Selective Functional Movement Assessments (SFMA), and Functional Movement Screenings (FMS). He earned a BS in Athletic Training from Washington State Academy in 2000 and an MA in Able-bodied Administration from Saint Mary's College in 2002.

    Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

    Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist

    Practiced Answer

    Back up wikiHow by unlocking this practiced reply.

    Typically, the all-time way to strengthen your hamstring is through daily activities. For example, if you're limping or having trouble walking, you'd want to address that starting time. Then, you can progress to more dynamic activities like squats, lunges, plyometric activities, and exercises where you take to alter direction actually quickly.

  • Question

    It feels like there'due south water in the back of my leg after a hamstring injury. The pain is mostly gone, just my injured leg is bigger than my other leg. Could it be water?

    Michele Dolan

    Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fettle instructor since 2002.

    Michele Dolan

    Certified Fitness Trainer

    Good Respond

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  • Visit with your physician both right after your injury and during your recovery.

  • Work slowly and gradually over time to regain your strength and flexibility.

  • Try the K(movement) Eastward(tiptop) T(traction) H(heat) method of intendance if you're experiencing a lot of stiffness and difficulty moving.

  • Requite the R(balance) I(water ice) C(compress) E(elevation) method a endeavour if you're in pain or your injury is swollen.

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  • If you feel any pain while exercising or stretching finish immediately.

  • Do non overdo any fitness authorities after an injury.

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