Hamstring injuries are an unfortunate injury that can be very serious and affects a moderate amount of athletes. The hamstring controls the knee flexion and the hip extension levels while the quadriceps (muscle group on the front of the leg) control the reverse action of the knee flexion and the hip flexion. A hamstring injury can take nearly any player out of the game or can heed people from enjoying the physical activities that they like.
1. Stretching
The hamstrings are actually controlled by a series of nerves that come together in the lower back. It isn’t uncommon to see hamstring injuries line up with various back injuries or overall lower back pain. Stretching out the lower back before any serious physical activity is key to not only preventing lower back injuries, but to preventing injuries in the hamstrings and legs. A few simple stretches can loosen up your back to prevent injuries. One of the best stretches to loosen up the back is called a Lumbar flexion stretch. This is a very simple stretch and simply involves lying on your back and pulling your knees into your chest. A simple rocking motion will greatly loosen up the lower back muscles.
The lower back is one of the keys to health in many major muscle groups from the back down. You should ideally be able to sit up with good posture and to twist your back from side to side with the elbows out. You should not feel any pain or tightness, but should have a full range of motion. Ensuring that there is no pain when twisting from side to side is essential for making sure that your back (especially lower back) is in good condition and is not tight.
2. Release Glutes
When stretching, many people often forget to properly stretch their Glutes. In addition, many also forget to warm up the glute muscles prior to a major workout. Many people also often get knots in and around their glute muscles when they begin increasing in training or as a certain sports season starts. These knots can actually increase the change of your hamstring being pulls and can add extra straight onto your hamstring muscles. Doing some simple stretches prior to your workout that specifically focus on stretching the glute muscles will greatly decrease your chance of pulling a muscle in either your glutes or in your hamstring muscles.
3. Get Your Nerves Gliding Properly
Things like having a tight back can greatly harm the overall flexibility of the nervous system. This is another essential reason to ensure you are always stretched out and warmed up. To get your nerves gliding properly can be done with a very few simple stretches that will place a gentle amount of tension on the hamstring and glute muscles to ensure that your nerves are gliding properly prior to beginning your workout of playing a game. Simply by sitting down on a chair or standing and then lifting one leg straight up to be parallel with the ground are great stretches to get your nerves gliding properly.
4. Keep Your Strength Up
When seeking to ensure that you don’t have an injury to your hamstring, it is crucial to make sure you keep your strength up. Both your hamstrings, back muscles and other groups of muscles in your body should be well-conditioned and as strong as possible. For any type of sport where you are consistently running (such as basketball, soccer or football) it is especially important to make sure the hamstrings are not only warmed up and stretched out, but that they are strong. Keeping your strength covers a multitude of factors. It covers everything from building strong hamstrings and quad muscles to making sure your body is healthy and hydrated.
5. Recover
After a hard workout it is always tempting to go home and crash on the coach. However, it is important to cool down our muscles in order to get then to properly recover from the first workout. If you don’t properly recover from the workouts, you can get a sense of cumulative fatigue that can build as you go. This can lead to injury or overall fatigue. Recovering also means taking general care of your body. First, you should have a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as enough protein to continue to build healthy, strong muscles. It also includes ensuring you are drinking the recommended amount of water each day to stay hydrated.
6. Foam Roll
A foam roll is an excellent thing to have around for anyone who participates in heavy exercise. A foam roll can be incredible for hamstrings to fully stretch out the muscle and to work out any small knots. It is also excellent for working out any lower back tightness as well as the upper back. A foam roll is incredibly simple to use. You simple place the foam roll under your hamstring muscle and roll your leg up and down over the hamstring. This is a very simple exercise and can be done at any time, both pre-workout of post-workout.
