# Hamstring Injury Advise



## reg32 (Jul 21, 2008)

I pulled my hamstring Sept 15th, any advise on a road to recovery? I have basically stayed off the bike! But I am going stir crazy!
Thanks for your input.


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## Mandeville (Oct 18, 2014)

Here's a great authoritative but user friendly source and response to your question. 

https://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/sprains-strains-and-tears.pdf

Two main things. Rest until healed. When resuming workout or athletic level stress on the hamstring the first couple of times go easy. If no problems after that you are good to go. 

Hamstrings are one of the muscle groups in tier one, (worst category) as far as specific muscles that can be difficult to treat. What's really bad is to injure it further before it heals. That can start you down a path of repeated and worsening problems with the muscle. BUT...that's only a danger if you don't act accordingly responsible in allowing it to heal and rehab.


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## Dream Plus (Feb 4, 2004)

I've always wondered how pro football players come back so soon from hamstring injuries. I've had two occasions where they've ended my cross season. The first time, I limped around for a while and was able to ride as long as I backed off and didn't race. The second time i went to PT and had electro stim applied which was torture. It seems to be a matter of waiting. One day you notice it doesn't hurt anymore.

Most recently I injured a hamstring racing cross in October. It's almost better now, but tightens up and hurts if I sit too long or have to drive distances. It mostly affected me when going over barriers and running off the bike. Riding wasn't too bad unless I overdid it.

Patience helps more than anything.



reg32 said:


> I pulled my hamstring Sept 15th, any advise on a road to recovery? I have basically stayed off the bike! But I am going stir crazy!
> Thanks for your input.


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## reg32 (Jul 21, 2008)

thanks for your responses.


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## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

Dream Plus said:


> I've always wondered how pro football players come back so soon from hamstring injuries. I've had two occasions where they've ended my cross season. The first time, I limped around for a while and was able to ride as long as I backed off and didn't race. The second time i went to PT and had electro stim applied which was torture. It seems to be a matter of waiting. One day you notice it doesn't hurt anymore.
> 
> Most recently I injured a hamstring racing cross in October. It's almost better now, but tightens up and hurts if I sit too long or have to drive distances. It mostly affected me when going over barriers and running off the bike. Riding wasn't too bad unless I overdid it.
> 
> Patience helps more than anything.


Weird that E-Stim was torture, it is usually used to calm everything back down after more aggressive therapies.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

Dream Plus said:


> I've had two occasions where they've ended my cross season. The first time, I limped around for a while and was able to ride as long as I backed off and didn't race. The second time i went to PT and had electro stim applied which was torture.


In the end, which therapy did you think worked better? 
Or was it mostly just waiting it out?


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## twinkles (Apr 23, 2007)

I've got a friend who had hamstring issues for quite some time. My wife & I insisted that she use her foam roller on it, even though she said it hurt. After a month or so of rolling, her nagging injury finally left for good. If you have hamstring or calf issues, go get a foam roller and use it regularly.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

What ever happened to the word "advice"? Advice is a noun. Advise is a verb.


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## Dream Plus (Feb 4, 2004)

I may have been exaggerating about the e stim. In the end, not abusing my hamstring further, and patience worked. I do believe there are things to do once the pain is gone to prevent subsequent injuries, but my experience is that they fall by the wayside once the pain wanes. Stretching, strengthening, the foam rollers mentioned, may be good things to do.


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