A hamstring injury in football is unfortunately common, with most players suffering from one at some point or another in their career.
The hamstrings are a group of three muscles – the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and the biceps femoris – in the posterior thigh that work to extend the hip and flex the knee. Naturally, this can be injured or strained when playing football.
Typically, a hamstring injury is a non-contact injury, as opposed to one that happens when two players come together in a collision.
How does a hamstring injury in football occur?
A hamstring injury involves straining, tearing, or pulling of the tendons or the large muscles at the back of the thigh. This is caused by overextending or overloading the leg.
Players may report symptoms such as a sharp pain at the back of the thigh, a tearing sensation, swelling, tenderness or inability to weight bear.
What is the recovery time for a hamstring injury?
The recovery time from a hamstring injury is dependent on the grade.
- Grade 1 – Few fibres are damaged. Player experiences pain but can walk. Can take approximately 2 weeks for them to heal.
- Grade 2 – Approximately 50% of fibres are torn. the player experiences pain, swelling and their walk is affected. It usually takes 3 to 8 weeks to heal.
- Grade 3 – Over 50% of fibres are damaged. There is usually massive swelling, pain, and muscle weakness. There may even be avulsion (where the tendon has come away from the bone). This can take up to 3 months to heal.
How is a hamstring injury treated and/or prevented?
Treatment can be non-surgical which involves RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), crutches, and anti-inflammatory medication. It can also be surgical where the tendons are pulled back into their new place, scar tissue is removed, and tendons are reattached to the bone using anchors.
To prevent hamstring injury and to help in rehabilitation it is important to stretch before and after playing sport, e.g., heel dig, hamstring curl, hip extension, hamstring wall stretch. It is also key that leg muscles are strengthened globally and not just in one compartment to prevent muscle imbalances from occurring.
For example, if you have over-trained your quadriceps and neglected your hamstrings it can make you more susceptible to a hamstring injury due to imbalance in opposing muscles.
More stories about injuries
FourFourTwo has more guides on injuries in football.
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