Hamstring pulls, a rip or tear of a hamstring muscle or its tendon, are common ailments in sports. They happen mainly to sprinters. It is rarely a problem in athletes and fitness buffs that do not full extend their knee.

The hamstring muscle located in the back of the thigh, pulls the knee down. It runs from the bottom of your pelvis to just below the bend in your knee.

The hamstring “rips” with the muscle fully stretched out. Imagine the sprinter firing out of the starting blocks. As he picks up speed, the quadriceps muscles contract to extend the lower leg. The hamstring muscle tries to resist or decelerate this extension. The pull happens when the quad muscle out powers the hamstring. This can also happen if you are not properly warmed up or are especially tight.

In most cases the muscle tears where it attaches to the tendon or about one third of the way down the thigh.
When you tear a hamstring, you know it. You feel a definite ripping or tearing in the back of the leg. It is not painful at first, but you get a sense of uneasiness in the leg.

The best treatment is: REST*ICE*COMPRESSION*ELEVATION. Prior to returning to activity, you should be able to contract the hamstring without pain. It is recommended that you wear a hamstring compression sleeve that applies even pressure around the thigh and supports the soft tissue.

Often, the hamstring remains sensitive for several months. You must continue to gently stretch prior to activity and use ice immediately after. A tight hamstring is like a tight guitar string, the tighter it is, the greater the chance it will tear.