How to Safely Strengthen Hamstrings After an Injury

Co-authored by Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

Last Updated: February 1, 2022 Approved

After an injury it may be some time before you recover full range of motion and strength in the affected area of the body. Injuries to the hamstrings are no different in this regard and will require you to slowly stretch and restrengthen the muscle. Hamstring injuries are common in athletes and there are many techniques you can use to help the healing process.^{[1]
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Go to source} Take your time when rebuilding flexibility and strength in your hamstring to speed recovery and prevent further injury.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Initial Treatment

1
Visit your doctor. Even if you don't believe your injury is severe you will want to visit with your doctor. Your doctor will be able to accurately gauge the severity of your injury, offer treatment, and get you started towards a quick recovery. If you have a hamstring injury visit your doctor before beginning any treatment or recovery exercise regime.
- There are three grades of hamstring injury. Grade 1 is a strain, grade 2 is a partial tear, and grade 3 is a full tearing of the muscle.
- Your doctor can tell you how long your injury may take to heal.
- Initial treatment methods can be demonstrated by your doctor.
2
Ask your doctor whether rest or movement is best for your injury. Putting your injured hamstring to use can help speed up its recovery, but your doctor may not recommend movement if your injury is severe. Before you decide to move or rest your hamstring during your recovery, talk to your doctor to see what they think will be the most beneficial.
- Severe injuries may require you to use crutches.
3
Apply ice to the injury to help with pain. In addition to resting the injured hamstring, applying ice will help alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Just keep in mind that ice will decrease the blood flow to your hamstring, which can prevent your injury from healing as quickly. Try to limit how often you use ice on your hamstring so it heals faster.^{[2]
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- Always wrap ice in a towel to prevent frostbite.
- Apply the ice for no more than 20 minutes at a time.
4
Apply heat to the injury to speed up your recovery. Heat encourages blood flow, which is necessary for an injury to heal. Cover your injury with a heating pad or a warm, damp wash cloth. You can also soak your injury in a warm bath. Apply heat to your injury daily during your recovery so it heals faster.^{[3]
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Elevate the affected area. Elevating your leg will work with the other steps of initial treatment to minimize the amount of swelling. Keeping swelling to a minimum is important when trying to reduce the amount of flexibility and strength lost. Always keep the injury elevated when resting and recovering.^{[4]
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- Putting a pillow under your leg is enough to elevate the area.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Starting Rehabilitation

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Talk with your doctor. Before you begin any recovery exercise program you will need to talk with your doctor. Your doctor will be able to judge if you are able to engage in such a program, which exercises are the best fit for you, and how you can avoid re-injuring the area. Talk with your doctor to learn more about your personalized recovery plan.
- Depending on your injury, your doctor may recommend you use the newer METH (movement, elevation, traction, heat) method of recovery or the older RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevation) method of recovery.
- Your doctor will be able to tell you what level of exercise is appropriate for your situation.
- Visiting your doctor will allow you both to better track your recovery.
2
Start rehabilitation as soon as possible. It's important that you start moving your injured hamstring as soon as possible so it's able to heal faster. Once you get the OK from your doctor, start doing gentle range of motion movements with your hamstring.^{[5]
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- Heel lifts and rear leg lifts are both exercises you can use to improve the blood flow to your injured hamstring so it heals faster.
- Make sure you've talked to your doctor before you incorporate movement into your recovery program. Depending on the severity of your injury, they may recommend you use the RICE method of recovery instead.
3
Ease into your fitness regime. In nearly every case of recovery and rehabilitation you will be required to work slowly to regain the intensity you were used to. Trying to exercise too much, too quickly, will likely result in further injury, improper healing, or a slower recovery process.^{[6]
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- Stop any exercise immediately if you feel any pain.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Increasing Strength and Flexibility

1
Try a standing hamstring stretch. After a hamstring injury and a period of rest, you will likely have lost flexibility in the area. A great way to recover this lost flexibility is to begin stretching the injured muscle, working slowly over time to increase the range of motion. Try the following stretch to get started regaining flexibility in your injured hamstring:^{[7]
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- Place your injured leg on a flat surface that is around hip height.
- Keep your knee from bending and try to straighten out your leg along the surface.
- Gently and carefully lean toward your toes.
- When leaning forward keep your back straight and bend at the hips only.
- Stop when you feel discomfort or pain.
2
Use the seated hamstring stretch. If your hamstring is especially tight or injured, you may want to try the seated hamstring stretch. This stretch will allow you to sit comfortably and extend your leg outwards, letting you gently and safely stretch your hamstring. Take the following actions when using this stretch:
- Sit down on any flat surface.
- Gently extend the injured leg upwards, bringing your foot into the air.
- Move slowly and don't over-stretch your hamstring.
- Pay attention to how your hamstring is feeling during this motion.
- Feeling tightness in the muscle is normal. However, feeling pain while stretching is a sign that you have pushed too far.
- Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort during the stretch.
3
Lay down and stretch your hamstring. Laying down and stretching your hamstring can offer a deeper stretch than other methods. This method can help restore range of motion and help you return to a level of activity that you enjoyed before the injury. Try the following actions to stretch your hamstring while laying down:
- Lay down on a flat surface.
- Raise your injured knee up, bringing it towards your chest. Stop when your knee and lower leg are straight up.
- Gently begin to extend your lower leg upwards, attempting to bring your entire leg into a straight line that points up towards the ceiling.
- Work slowly as you attempt to straighten out your leg at the knee.
- Stop immediately if you feel any pain or discomfort.
4
Use chair drags to build strength. After your hamstring injury you will likely have lost some strength in the injured leg. Before you can safely return to pre-injury activity levels you will need to regain that lost strength. The chair drag is a simple exercise you can use to start recovering strength and getting you fully active again.
- Sit on a chair with wheels.
- Extend your injured leg outwards, placing your foot on the ground.
- Use your leg and hamstring to pull yourself forward.
- Continue dragging yourself around in this way to build up the muscle in your injured leg.
- Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort in your hamstring.
- Work slowly and carefully when doing this exercise to avoid further injury.
5
Continue building strength with gentle exercise. Resting your leg and hamstring after an injury will result in lost muscle tissue and strength. The best way to regain strength is to start small and gradually work up to greater amounts of intensity in your workouts. Always start with very light exercise to avoid injuring the area again.
- Walking can be a simple exercise that can build strength and avoid further injury.
- Riding a bicycle can be gentle enough and still allow you to build strength in your hamstring.
- Stepping up onto a high step can target the hamstring and rebuild strength.
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I heal a hamstring pull quickly?

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP
Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist
Scott Anderson is the Chief Clinical Officer at SyncThink, an award winning startup founded out of Stanford University. Scott previously served as the Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Training for Stanford University for over ten years from 2007 to 2017. Scott has over 18 years of clinical and management experience, and is a recognized international speaker on topics of clinical specialization, which include developmental kinesiology, neuroscience/concussion, and movement dysfunction. He is a certified Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Practitioner (DNSP), Sports Safety Specialist and is certified to conduct Selective Functional Movement Assessments (SFMA), and Functional Movement Screenings (FMS). He earned a BS in Athletic Training from Washington State University in 2000 and an MA in Athletic Administration from Saint Mary's College in 2002.

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist

Expert Answer

Typically, the best way to strengthen your hamstring is through daily activities. For instance, if you're limping or having trouble walking, you'd want to address that first. Then, you can progress to more dynamic activities like squats, lunges, plyometric activities, and exercises where you have to change direction really quickly.

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It feels like there's water in the back of my leg after a hamstring injury. The pain is mostly gone, but my injured leg is bigger than my other leg. Could it be water?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Fluid can build up in tissues that have been injured. It is best to see a doctor or see a physiotherapist who can do scans to detect pockets of fluid.

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Tips

Visit with your doctor both right after your injury and during your recovery.

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Work slowly and gradually over time to regain your strength and flexibility.

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Try the M(movement) E(elevation) T(traction) H(heat) method of care if you're experiencing a lot of stiffness and difficulty moving.

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Warnings

If you feel any pain while exercising or stretching stop immediately.

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Do not overdo any fitness regime after an injury.

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