Rehab Plan for Strained Hamstring

Rehabilitation Schedule

|INJURY: Strained hamstring |Estimated Rehabilitation Period: 3-4 Weeks |
|Stage ONE: Acute Stage – Rest, possible mobilisation. |
|During this phase, it is essential to decrease the inflammation and maintain range of motion. As for most strains, RICE method should be |
|applied. This stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Stop the activity and apply ice for 20 minutes intervals for the first couple |
|hours, compress with a bandage to help control swelling. This helps to control swelling by not allowing extra fluid to group in the spaces |
|between the cells. To keep active you may benefit from use of crutches to aid the injury. It is essential to complete a rehabilitation program|
|to avoid chronic injury. In the later phases muscles strengthening balance and stretching should be encouraged as a prevention of |
|reoccurrence. |
|Stage TWO: Sub-Acute Phase - When movement is possible, exercises that take the body through as much of it’s normal range of motion as is |
|comfortable. |
|At this stage inflammation of the injury appears to be lessening and so we should discontinue the ice treatment but you should maintain |
|compression bandages to encourage the dispersal of swelling. The aim of treatment in this phase is to begin some active ROM and start |
|strengthening. At the beginning, you may begin painless gentle range of motion and assisted active range of motion exercises such as a |
|hamstring stretch: slowly raise the leg up with knee and heel supported, keeping the knee straight. Hold for 5 seconds and return to starting |
|position. Aquatic therapy is helpful when performing activities with decreased weight bearing. This is because water reduces stress on joints |
|and encourages better movement. This type of training is used to improve strength and function of the injured place. In this case we can |
|perform squats to work on our hamstring. Perform squats in the pool. This will strengthen your hamstrings, improve flexibility and improve |
|bending skills perform quarter squats in shallow water and work your way to half squats to improve strength in the leg muscles: hamstring. |
|Also electrotherapy treatment such as pulsed short wave diathermy or ultrasound are effective in speeding the healing process and provide some|
|pain relief at this time. You should resume cardiovascular training which may include swimming with a pull buoy or static exercise bike to |
|maintain general fitness. |
|Stage THREE: Early Active Rehabilitation Phase |
|At this stage you should be able to perform exercise without pain. You may start by perform static exercises such as static hold exercise. |
|Placing 2 rolled bath towel under the thigh, straighten the knee. Hold for 5 second then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for 10|
|repetitions, 3 times per day. |