28/02/2023
Hamstring injuries can be complex, and have a high re injury rate of 22-34%. This often happens in the first 1-2 weeks after returning to sport! Here are 10 tips to reduce the risk of these injuries occurring:
1️⃣ Very High-speed running exposure 1-2x a week (reaching at least 90% max velocity)
2️⃣ Ensure you have a good level aerobic endurance to cope with the demands of your sport, level, and position
3️⃣ Listen to your body, if you are extremely sore, consider reducing your load
4️⃣ Make sure you are strong. The hamstrings are a 2 joint muscle group which flexes the knee, and extends the hip. Ensure you strengthen the hamstrings in both knee flexion (e.g., Nordic or hamstring curls), and hip extension (Romanian Deadlifts)
5️⃣ When strength training, expose yourself to bilateral (2 legs) and unilateral (1 leg) exercises
6️⃣ Be powerful. Ensure you complete plyometrics, so you are fast, explosive, and coordinated in jump/hop based movements which can be quite fatiguing
7️⃣ If you are involved in a multidirectional sport, expose yourself to strength & power exercises outside the sagittal plane (e.g., rotational or side to side movements)
8️⃣ Monitor your training loads, try not to have sudden increases/reductions in your load beyond 10-15% per week.
9️⃣ Static stretching does not reduce risk of hamstring injury. You are better off focusing on the tips mentioned above!
🔟 Be confident in your body! If you aren’t, physiotherapy can certainly help with your concerns and goals.
Interested in finding out how you can reduce your risk of injury, rehabilitate a current injury, or improving your athleticism and performance?
Visit www.optimisesportsphysio.com.au and enquire now for a free telephone consultation
Link to hamstring tear case study:
https://optimisesportsphysio.com.au/hamstring-tear-rehab-physiotherapy/
