Question:
Junior year in highschool I pulled my hammy slightly, 2 weeks later I was fine. Same thing senior year. I just finished my freshman year at college, where I pulled my hamstring 3 times within 2-3 months due to overuse and not enough recovery. I never had an MRI or anything, but the doctor told me I tore it, which would explain why after 5 months it hasn't healed. I had physical therapy for about 6 weeks (no help, I know more than they do). I'm seeing a chiropractor who knows his stuff and is breaking up the scar tissue, and next week I'll be seeing a massage therapist as well. Now my main question here, for intelligent and experienced people, is: what exercises can I do to help strengthen my injured hamstring? I can sprint almost full speed pain free, but the next day it'll feel like crap, and I can tell it just isn't right. I think that it is basically just weak, so if anyone can inform me of some strengthening exercises, that'd be great.
Answers:
Too bad your PT didn't work on breaking up the scar tissue b/c that was the key. You should work on flexibility and eccentric strength. For stretching work on reciprocal inhibition stretching...which means that you should pull your leg in the air with your hands behind your thigh, and then straighten your knee by contracting your quad. By contracting your quad you activate a reflex (reciprocal inhibition) that causes the hamstring to relax. You will train your hammy to relax with a forceful quad contraction (which is when most hammy strains occur). To work on the eccentric strength do this...get on your knees on a pillow or foam pad, have someone hold onto your ankles from behind and slowly lower your body towards the floor, when you get to the floor try to lift yourself back up using your hammys and assisting by doing a push up. Your body should stay straight the whole way through the exercise and all the motion should be in your knees. Hope that helps.
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