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Running Hamstring Pain: Resolving Tightness and Hamstring Injuries

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Tight hamstrings or the start of a running hamstring injury?It’s always a fine line to figure out when were going from normal running discomfort to the edge pushing things farther than we should and especially with our hamstrings, because many runners become quad dominant and this results in tight hamstrings.

Tight hamstrings are uncomfortable, so we start stretching and stretching and….well that doesn’t fix the issue, but it can lead us straight in to an injury!

Hamstring strains are unfortunately one of the most common running injuries. Even a low grade tear can leave a runner sidelined for weeks, even months.

If not dealt with properly, the frustrating injury can linger on and on. With the right care, gradual introduction back to running, and a proper warm up and strength routine, the hamstring can stay healthy for a long time.Running Hamstring Pain

Where is Your Hamstring?

Stay with me for a second as we go through the science, so that you know what you’re dealing with. The hamstring is made up of three different muscles located at the back of the thigh:

  • Semitendinosus
  • Semimembranosus
  • Biceps femoris

Unlike most other muscles in the body, the hamstring muscle group crosses two joints, the knee and the hip. This means it plays a crucial role in two key running movements: bending the knee and extending at the hips.runner hamstrings

Within these movements, the hamstring has three roles:

  • Acting as a braking system by gradually slowing down the front leg as it nears the ground, especially during downhill efforts
  • Extending the hip to propel the body forward
  • Assisting the calf muscle to help bend the knee

All together, this makes the hamstring an essential component to the running stride.

What Causes Running Hamstring Pain?

Hamstring injuries typically occur after sudden bursts of speed during sports like soccer, sprinting, or football, when the muscle that attaches to the tendons is strained or torn. That’s why you often see a sprinter suddenly grab the back of their leg with a look of horror on their face!running hamstring pullSource

Distance runners are more prone to what is called tendinopathy, or inflammation of the hamstring tendon. This results like most inflammation from some kind of weakness or overuse.

  • a runner introduces speed or hill workouts before they’re ready
  • when the quads are too tight, they pull the pelvis forward, which then tightens the hamstring
  • weak glutes means the hamstrings have to work even harder and that leads to overuse

Is it Ok to Run with Hamstring Pain?

Let’s decide if you have a strain, a little tightness or just a bad day! You’ll know you have a hamstring injury because they’re a pain in the ass. (but not the same pain in the ass as Piriformis Syndrome)

Literally.

Pain in the back of the thigh or lower butt is a telltale sign of a hamstring injury.

Other indications of a hamstring injury include:

  • Sudden and severe pain during exercise
  • A snapping or popping sound
  • Pain while walking
  • Bruising

Is it ok to run with hamstring pain?

Those with a low grade pain can try to continue running, but if the pain increases, then it’s time to stop.

Basically, if you can walk normally, but have pain in certain positions, go ahead and try an easy run to see how you feel afterward. If the injury is bad enough to alter your gait, then rest is in order.

The longer you run with hamstring tendinopathy, the worse it will get. If you can still continue running, put the speed workouts and hill repeats on hold for a bit. Other high intensity workouts are out, as well.

Recovery can take a long time, depending on the severity of the injury.

Don’t return to previous level of physical activity until you can:

  • Move your injured leg as well as your healthy one
  • You leg feels as strong as your healthy one
  • You feel zero pain when you graduate from walking, jogging, sprinting, and finally jumping over time.

If you start training before the injury is fully healed, you run the risk of prolonging the injury.

At Home Tests to See What Level You’re At

  • The “shoe test.” Take off the shoe of your injured leg using your healthy foot. If you feel pain when you pull up and out of your shoe, that’s a sign.
  • Extend your injured leg to a surface at hip height. Hinge at the hip to reach for your toes, as though you were stretching. If the pain exceeds beyond your normal stretching pain, then that’s your hamstring.
  • Press down on a surface with the heel of the injured leg. This could be done during the previous exercise, while sitting on the floor with both legs extended in front of you, or on a Swiss ball while doing hamstring curls. Pain in the back of the leg means hamstring injury.

Resolve Hamstring Tightness

Hamstring strains have a notoriously high re-injury rate due to improper rehabilitation process. Over 60% of runners that strain their hamstring will do so again within the first year.

Yikes.

Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen and more importantly let’s take care of those tight hamstrings right now with some of my favorite things…pre-hab!!marching bridge

Hamstring Strength Training

The best way to stop injury before it starts is to add strength to your training plan. To mitigate hamstring injuries, focusing on our glutes, core, and hips will go a long way (feels like I say this about 99% of running injuries).

Luckily for you, I have a whole host of resources for you to get those glutes and hips into tip top shape, this will help to keep your pelvis in proper alignment and reduce hamstring tightness:

  • Hip mobility drills to loosen tight hips
  • Hip flexor exercises
  • Mini band workout for hip strength
  • Exercises to improve hip extension and mobility

Dynamic Warm Ups

I know I sound like a broken record at this point. Skipping the warm up is easy, especially when you’re already waking up at the crack of dawn to get your run in before you have to dash off to work.

I get it.

But your warm up matters.

Taking the time to do a proper warm up transitions your body from rest to activity by stimulating blood flow to the muscles that will do the work. A glute activation warm up will keep you injury-free long term.

Which is worse: waking up 10 minutes earlier or being sidelined due to a totally preventable injury?

Treatment for Hamstring Injury

If you’re past the point of running with a tight hamstring and have moved on to a full blow injury, first up checkout these mental tips for recovery because that’s often the hardest part!

Next, it’s good to know many hamstring injuries can be managed at home, however severe cases should seek physical therapy to help with a more structured treatment plan dedicated to correcting the exact problem.

RICE

After digging deep into the research, I no longer recommend the traditional RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation). However, there are instances when components of RICE make sense.

If you felt the injury happen, apply ice immediately afterward for up to 72 hours. After that timeframe, switch to heat.

Compression

If you can tolerate easy running with the injury you have, then consider wearing a [compression wrap] on your thigh during or after your run. They work by helping to stabilize the muscle and support the quad and hamstring muscles.

Foam Rolling

Try rolling before and after your run to break down the connective tissue. If you can’t run at all, then daily rolling for 10-15 minutes will help increase oxygen flow to the area. Foam rolling the hamstrings is fairly straightforward. This post explains how to do so safely.

Rest

If running without pain is impossible, then you’ll have to rest. Take the opportunity to start doing [yoga ] like you’ve always wanted or switch to a cross training activity, like swimming or cycling, as long as it doesn’t cause pain.

Hamstring Recovery Exercises

Physical therapists recommend focusing on eccentric rather than concentric strengthening, which will result in hamstrings that are strong and can work in conjunction with the quad.

Eccentric exercises are those in which the muscle is in a lengthened state versus a shortened state. Lengthening the muscles helps realign them and also strengthens the tendons and ligaments, which decrease the risk of injury. Further, eccentric contractions result in increased mobility.

A progressive treatment plan is essential for full recovery from hamstring injuries. What this means is gradually adding targeted hamstring exercises that focus specifically on strengthening the core, hips, and glutes.

Here’s a great video from my friends at The Run Experience with some exercises:

Additionally, small loop resistance bands and a stability ball are great for recovery strength. They allow for resistance without straining the muscle from using too much weight before the hamstring is ready.

The exercise routines below use both tools and will help build the core, glute, hip, and hamstring power you need to get healthy again.

  • Core strength using the stability ball
  • Hip stability workout
  • Glute bridge – can be done without without a band or stability ball
  • This quick resistance band workout will make a significant impact on hip and glute strength.

Have you dealt with a hamstring injury?

What helped you recover and stay healthy?

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Posted by amanda Categories: injury

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Amanda Brooks : Run Coach
A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might alr A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might already know what’s best for you, but aren’t doing it consistently. That’s the only way we really make changes.
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A PLAN can help, but I often don’t think that’s step one to making lasting change.
//
HABITS AND ROUTINES✴️
-Eliminate the need to make decisions.
-Which reduces brain fatigue.
-Which increases your chance of success.
//
TINY HABITS✴️
This is the smallest step you can take towards your goal. Often so small it seems insignificant, but is easy to make it a habit.
🌟
That leads you to another tiny habit, then another and suddenly it’s just your lifestyle.
👆👆👆
When people ask how I easily kept off 35lbs for over 15 years, while enjoying pizza, taking rest days and not obsessing about food.
👇👇👇👇
When people ask how I stay motivated to run year round and rarely race. Tiny habits.
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Day one isn’t eat perfect or run for an hour.
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Day one IS drink a glass of water when I wake up. Put on my running clothes.
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Day 30 is then more like after I drink my glass of water, I do 5 push ups. After I put on my running clothes, I do a 5 minute warm up.
//
SLOW PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN NO PROGRESS, it builds momentum and is sustainable.
❔❔❔
Have you ever practiced creating tiny habits???
1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR? M 1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR?
Mine... satisfying.
😊
1900 miles blows away previous years.
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(swipe to see...because yes I love tracking.) Unfortunately I’m not positive what it was 2001-2007 because I wrote it on calendars.
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SATISFYING
🥰I needed the long miles early on to process my business being thrown for a loop. Bye bye book tour and partnerships.
😊I needed it after that to get away from the news and pretend I wasn’t spending all day alone. Then as my business shifted again to keep ideas flowing.
🌲I loved the time outside to think, get lost in a comedy podcast or audiobook. Otherwise I’m at home working!
🤩Without a single race, I still checked a big goal off my list of running an ultra distance (solo was very interesting!).
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I’ve seen some posts that make it seem like we’re wrong for talking about what we achieved this year.
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It was a HARD FCKIN year for everyone, but guess what lots of years are. And not every year is great even without a pandemic.
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For all the lows this year, I also worked my ass off to make some really good things happen. And I’m extra proud of that.
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So let’s hear your word for fitness in 2020??
⬇️
Hard, easy, strong, powerful, consistent, cleansing, relaxing, nature, grace, grit, grind, triumph, building...
HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot r HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot right?! Figuring out what to do with it, color it don’t color it, keep it healthy, breakage from ponytails, long, short. And yet a good hair day😃 🔥 🌟
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🥰Love your hair
🤪Frustrated with your hair
1️⃣Natural curls
2️⃣Stick straight
👇👇👇
Curly friends: share your favorite tips!!
Long hair friends: what helps you keep it healthy?
👆👆👆
//
At 7 I could sit in my hair it was so long.
At 10 we started perms.
At 16 I had a full mane of hair I loved.
At 20 I learned I have naturally curly hair 😂after years of perms as a kid.
At 25 I was going blonde blonde blonde.
At 29 I began losing hair and it got so brittle I had to chop it off, due to the hormone issues.😭
At 35 my hair started to recover (as did my body), but never like that mane I loved as a teen.
At 39 I got my first curly haircut! I’m still figuring it out, but was amazed at how it looked.
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I don’t wear much make up, but I do admit to really caring about my hair and it was a tough time when it felt so unhealthy.
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I’m still struggling to figure out this new curly style 😂but keep hearing from other curly girls ya just gotta stick it out. So we’ll see.
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#curlygirlmethod #hairtalk
ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just enjoy a day off? Don’t you feel guilty about the time apart?
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Yes.
It makes me happy.
No, if I’m happy our time together is better.
👇👇👇
MY VIEW IS THIS...
❌If you aren’t working out because of food guilt
❌If you aren’t missing big moments because you must workout
✅If you enjoy it and it improves your day
✅THEN GO FORTH and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for improving your mental and physical health.
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❓Do you have guilt or get guilted about workouts for n holidays?❓
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This has been my lifestyle so long that our families just know to expect that I’m gonna sweat. And of course, I’m lucky David wants this lifestyle too.
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BUTTTTT I remember those first trips to David’s family, where it really threw them for a loop. They still find it weird, but I sneak out before everyone gets up or have gotten them to do family things like the rec center.
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My best advice when asked has always been to try and calmly explain why it matters to you and then just go. They get over it or used to it.
🎁 🎄🕎
TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder this holiday season that we all need to be loved differently...and pizza transcends all.
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🍕Do you have a favorite local pizza place?🍕🍕
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Yes, I knead to know for when we can travel again.
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Here we fell in love in love with @saucyspizza and I wouldn’t be sad if I got it as a gift 😆
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#pizzamemes #eatlocal #denvercolorado #ilovepizza #lovememes #pizzagram #digiorno #papajohns #foodisfuel #longrun #womenwhoeat #carbsarelife
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