Hamstring rehabilitation.
With footy pre-season commencing, hamstring injuries become more prevalent. It is just not the older guys that are getting injuries!
Too often we see a very basic rehabilitation for hamstring injuries. We feel this is linked to such a high reoccurrence rate. Each injury is different and requires an individualised program. A simple recipe is not going to keep you injury free!
At Enhance Physiotherapy we use a modified program from the Australian Institute of Sport and adjust it to benefit each individual case. A brief overview includes:
- Initial acute management following injury requires the RICE principles: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation to limit the bleeding and damage to surrounding tissues. It is crucial you keep good thigh compression and icing for the first 72 hours.
- Preparation for a running program. This will commence with a slow shuffle on grass. Short steps are the key to not overstretching the hamstring muscle group too early.
- Structured strength and conditioning program
- Progress through running program which includes 3 stages: acceleration, steady state, deceleration.
- Working on core and hip control to limit overuse of hamstring.
If you have sustained a hamstring injury or have a history of repetitive hamstring niggles, it’s time to book a thorough assessment at Enhance Physiotherapy Albury-Wodonga.
