Hamstring injuries are one of the most common injuries experienced by athletes. Sports such as football, track and field, and especially soccer have a very high incidence of hamstring injuries. Hamstring injuries are the most common injury among soccer players, accounting for a whopping 37% of reported injuries.
However, athletes are not the only people prone to developing a hamstring injury. Jobs that require large amounts of bending at the waist can contribute to an injury. This is also true of everyday activities such as removing the laundry from the dryer.
Hamstring injuries can be very painful. The hamstring helps us to move our knees and hips. This is why becoming injured can often prevent us from participating in sports, going about our daily routines or even simply walking without pain. Thankfully, physical therapy can be an effective treatment without the need for surgery.
How can physical therapy treat my hamstring injury?
A licensed physical therapy specialist can employ a number of trusted and proven methods to treat your hamstring injury. Some of these might include:
- Active Release Techniques® — Active Release Techniques (ART) is a set of movements designed to break down scar tissue. Scar tissue often forms around injured muscles. This form of therapy helps to break down scar tissue using hands-on techniques. It then employs movements to lengthen injured tissue to further break up adhesions.
- Therapeutic exercises — Your physical therapist can guide you through exercises designed to relieve pain, restore mobility and increase strength in areas of the body that have been injured. Strengthening the hamstring muscle also helps to prevent it from becoming injured in the future.
- Electrical stimulation — This form of therapy is used to stimulate stiff muscles, as well as increase circulation to an affected area. A physical therapist uses special equipment to deliver gentle electric stimulation to the affected area. This helps the hamstring and other injured muscles to regain their natural flexibility.
Where can I turn for hamstring injury physical therapy in my area?
Our experienced team at Arrow Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation is ready to help eastern New Jersey residents find the physical therapy they need.
A free screening can get you started on the road to recovery. We will perform an evaluation of your injury and create a customized physical therapy plan to your needs and your schedule. We have years of experience in treating hamstring injuries as well as other sports-related injuries with proven physical therapy techniques.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
