Hamstring injuries can often be a footy player’s worst nightmare. Due to the nature of the game, AFL and hamstring injuries go hand in hand. Common ways to injure hamstrings include sprints, kicking, and jumping which often involve a rapid stretch and/or contraction of the muscle. If not picked up early and managed well, they can often be an ongoing battle for athletes throughout the season, and in more serious cases place athletes on the sidelines.
How to identify a hamstring injury?
Significant hamstring injuries may be easy to detect, with characteristic “popping” sensation often described. Associated pain, bruising, swelling, weakness or limited hamstring flexibility may also be tell-tale signs. Naturally, a previous hamstring injury instantly increases your suspicions.
However, mild injuries may be trickier to pick up. Additionally, other structures around the hamstrings may be the culprit such as the adductor/groin muscles, sciatic nerve irritation, low back pain referral etc.
A few simple tests may be used to test the hamstring muscle contraction and range:
- Shoe off / floor swipe test.
- Prone knee bend.
- Single-leg bridge.
- Arabesque / single-leg deadlift.
- MHFAKE (maximum hip flexion, active knee extension).
If any tests reproduce familiar pain then further assessment may be warranted.
Rehab tips
Appropriate rest, gradual loading, and sports-specific rehab are all common approaches for hamstring recovery. However, it’s important to consider other areas around the hamstrings during rehab to prevent ongoing recurrence. All structures above, around, and below the hamstrings can influence risk of injury and should be assessed and targeted accordingly.
If you’re suspicious of a hamstring niggle or are struggling with recurrent hamstring injuries, have a chat to your local physiotherapist about how best to approach rehab management.
