Suffered a Hamstring Strain? Contact a Sports Doctor in Westchester For Treatment

When it comes to strains of the body, the hamstring is one of those areas that tend to occur most often. Those who suffer the most are athletes who are highly active. By understanding the anatomy of the body and its

movement patterns, you can better learn why this injury is so commonly seen by a Westchester sports injury doctor.
The hamstring is actually composed of three different muscles. These run along the rear of the thigh and are what assist you bending the leg at the knee joint. Therefore, it's important to note that the hamstring is not one 'string' muscle. Since there are three different muscles involved, that allows for more potential overload of any one of the three muscles.

Understanding The Hamstring

When a strain occurs, the muscle becomes severely overloaded. You may even feel the muscle start to tear. Any sports doctor in Westchester can reveal to you that activities that involve lots of sudden stopping, jumping, and/or running can be the culprit for a hamstring strain. Here are some other factors that can put you at a higher risk of having one of these muscular strains:

• Lack Of Warm-Up Before Exercise
• Weak Glutes
• Tight Quads

When moving the leg, the quadriceps are the antagonist of the hamstring. They work to pull the pelvis forward so the hamstrings can come tight. When the quads are excessively tight, this leads to a thrusted forward pelvis position and overloads the hamstrings. Alongside the quads, the glutes also function to move the leg. When the glutes are weak, the hamstring must pick up the extra slack. This can force them into a tight position that makes them more susceptible to overload or strains.

What's A Hamstring Strain Feel Like?

A Westchester sports injury doctor should always be your first call when you experience a hamstring strain. Even if you're not sure that what you experienced is a strain, it doesn't hurt to seek medical assistance to get a clear answer. Let's take a look at what this type of strain feels like so you can better identify your symptoms.

Hamstring strains can range in their level of severity. Mild strains can be experienced with just a slight amount of pain as an indicator that something is wrong. Severe strains, on the other hand, will cause a significant amount of discomfort. In fact, some people may find it too agonizing to stand or walk. Here are some of the most common symptoms that people will experience when it comes to a pulled hamstring:

• Snapping / Popping Sensation Followed By Severe Pain
• Pain In The Rear Of The Lower Buttocks And Thigh When Moving The Leg
• Bruising On The Hamstring

Diagnosing a hamstring strain is part of any good sports medicine for athletes in Westchester program. The sports doctor in Westchester will assess the site of the injury and your range of motion. They'll be able to determine whether your strain is considered mild or severe and give you a viable course of treatment to follow.

Treating A Hamstring Strain

Sports medicine for athletes in Westchester who have experienced a hamstring strain consists of a simple treatment program. In most cases, hamstring strains will heal on their own given time and rest. To assist in speeding up the healing process, there are some necessary steps you should take.

Rest Your Leg

The best chiropractor near me will tell you that the only way to fully heal a strained muscle is to give it the rest it needs. Try to avoid putting any weight on your leg for the first couple of weeks. This will give the muscle adequate time to heal. If you need to, ask your sports medicine in Westchester doctor for a set of crutches.

Ice Your Leg

When muscular strains happen, the muscle becomes inflamed. This swelling can lead to a high level of discomfort in the body. Try to ice the leg instead to reduce this pain and swelling. It's only recommended to leave the ice on for 20 minutes at a time. Any longer and the body will create more inflammation to defend against what it perceives as frostbite.

Compress The Leg

Compression can do wonders for alleviating pain from swelling. An elastic bandage or a specially designed hamstring compression brace can keep the swelling at a minimum. It's best to take the compression off during sleep.

Keep Your Leg Elevated

Elevation can help to combat the natural healing effects of swelling. Utilize a pillow or rolled-up towel when sitting or lying down to keep your leg elevated.

Take NSAIDs

NSAIDs, also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended to keep the pain and swelling down in your body. Some examples of these include ibuprofen and naproxen. It's best to keep the use of these drugs to a short span of time as they can provide nasty side effects if utilized for extended periods of time.

Stretch And Strengthen

The best chiropractor near me will tell you that stretching and strengthening an injured muscle is the key to a successful recovery. You never want to just leave the injury without movement for a long period of time as it can cause you to lose your range of motion. A physical therapist that specializes in sports medicine in Westchester can provide you with a list of stretches and strengthening exercises for the area.

How Long Does Recovery Take?

The answer to this question highly depends on the amount of damage that your hamstring undergoes. For mild strains, you can expect to heal within a couple of weeks. For more severe injuries, it may take months to heal. The quality of how you care for your injury also makes a major difference in your recovery time. Follow the orders from your sports medicine professional to ensure a fast and successful recovery.