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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA hamstring injury occurs when you strain or pull one of your hamstring muscles — the group of muscles that run along the back of your thigh. With a hamstring injury, you might also experience a partial or complete muscle tear.
You may be more likely to get a hamstring injury if you play soccer, basketball, football, tennis or a similar sport that involves sprinting with sudden stops and starts. A hamstring injury can occur in runners and in dancers as well.
Although a hamstring injury generally means you'll have some downtime, self-care measures such as rest, ice and over-the-counter pain medications are often all you need to relieve pain and swelling. Rarely, surgery may be needed to correct a torn muscle.
- Hamstring muscle injuries. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00408. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Vetter CS, et al. Hamstring strain. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202267569-2/0/1678/62.html?tocnode=55148419&fromURL=62.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50061-4_982. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Shah A, et al. Hip, pelvis, and thigh. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee & Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00021-X. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Heiderscheit BC, et al. Hamstring strain injuries: Recommendations for diagnosis, rehabilitation and injury prevention. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 2010;40:67.
- Sprains and strains. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sprains_Strains/default.asp. Accessed May 19, 2010.
- Brooks GP, et al. Musculoskeletal injury in the young athlete: Overview of treatment principles for nonoperative injuries. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Brooks GP, et al. Musculoskeletal injury in the young athlete: Overview of rehabilitation for nonoperative injuries. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Hoskins W, et al. The management of hamstring injury - Part 1: Issues in diagnosis. Manual Therapy. 2005;10:96.
- Hoskins W, et al. Hamstring injury management - Part 2: Treatment. Manual Therapy. 2005;10:180.
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