Keep Your Teen Athelete On The Field By Taking Hamstring Strains Seriously
If your teenage son or daughter loves playing sports, they put their body at risk every time they play. A misstep here or poor judgment there could result in injuries, including hamstring strains.
Such strains are frustrating because symptoms are persistent, healing takes time and the risk of re-injury is high. A strained hamstring could leave your teen athlete unable to participate in sports for months. Fortunately, you can take steps to prevent these injuries and keep them from reoccurring.
Prevalence of Hamstring Strains
According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, hamstring strains account for 12 to 16 percent of injuries among professional soccer players. On average, the injuries result in 18 days and three to four matches missed per hamstring strain. Re-injuries occur in 12 to 31 percent of cases.
How Hamstring Injuries Occur
Hamstrings are actually comprised of many muscles with the purpose of flexing the knees and extending the hips. In soccer, most hamstring injuries occur while the player is running. Studies cited by the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggest that strains occur when hamstring muscles begin to tense up while lengthening to extend the knee. This rapid switch from eccentric function (decelerating the knee in late stride) to concentric function (actively extending the hip) puts the hamstring at the greatest risk of injury.
Hamstring Strain Risk Factors
Athletes with the following characteristics are at a higher risk for straining their hamstrings:
- Older age
- Black or aboriginal ethnic origin
- Imbalance of muscular strength with a low hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio
- Fatigued muscles
- Tight hamstrings
- Insufficient warm ups
- Previous injury
- Returning to sports before full recovery from an injury
Preventing Hamstring Strains
With an idea of what risk factors lead to hamstring strains, you can take steps to prevent them:
- Stretch every day: In a study cited by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, two groups of military trainees carried out fitness programs over 13 weeks. Only one group included three hamstring stretching sessions per day as part of the program. Stretching each extremity for just 30 seconds five times per session greatly increased flexibility among the trainees. Only 17 percent of the hamstring-stretching group strained their hamstrings during the 13-week period compared to nearly 30 percent in the control group.
- Strengthen the hamstrings: In another study, 30 Swedish soccer players were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups trained for 10 weeks, but only one group focused specifically on hamstring strength training. After a 10-month study period completed, only 2 percent of those who put in the extra training suffered hamstring strains while 67 percent of the control group were injured.
- Warm up: Warm muscles can stretch further before becoming strained. That’s why athletes should warm up and stretch before facing strenuous conditions on the field.
- Treat injuries seriously: Re-injury is more likely to occur if an athlete doesn’t treat a strain properly. Early treatment should include protecting, resting, icing, compression and elevation, or PRICE. Within a few days to a few weeks of the injury, the athlete should continue muscle action to prevent atrophy and encourage healing. The third phase is to stretch the hamstring and restore flexibility, while the fourth phase focuses on achieving pain-free running. Within three weeks to six months, the athlete should be able to return to the field. Begin this treatment process immediately by seeking Physical Therapy and Massage Therapy services from Spinal Healthcare.
- Join a sports medicine program: From injury prevention to injury management to performance enhancement, pursuing Sports Medicine services at Spinal Healthcare is the perfect way to ensure your teen athlete receives the instruction and treatment needed to prevent injuries, get back on the field after a hamstring strain and prevent re-injury.
To learn more about our services for adult and student athletes, please contact Spinal Healthcare & Physical Medicine or call us at (260) 493-6565.
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