FirstMed Consulting Blog

To understand what hamstring strain is, we need to understand what muscles comprise the hamstrings and how they work. Hamstrings consist of three types of muscles found in the back of the thigh. They are as follows:

* Biceps Femoris
* Semitendinosus
* Semimembranosus

The function of the hamstrings is a very simple. It is the contraction of the 3 hamstrings muscles that causes the knee to bend and the thigh to move backwards relative to the trunk. The hamstrings play an important role in our everyday life, such as walking, running, jumping, and controlling movements of the trunk.

A hamstring strain is an excessive stretch beyond its limits and the muscle tissue maybe torn. A tear in a muscle is referred to as a strain. Hamstring strains can occur at any point along the length of the muscle. The injuries are classified as either first, second or third degree depending on the severity.

1. First Degree – involves excessive stretching or minor tearing of a few muscle fibres. There will be some stiffness in the affected area and if exercise is attempted, the pain or stiffness may decrease however, the pain becomes greater afterward. Patients with a mild strain usually experience minimal pain, swelling, and little or no loss of functional ability.

2. Second Degree – refers to a more severe muscle tear covering a larger area than the first degree strain. Patients with a moderate strain might notice bruising, moderate pain, and swelling. There will be stiffness and weakness on the affected area creating significant limping when walking and running.

3. Third Degree – this is a complete tear or rupture of the muscle. Swelling, bruising are usually quite severe and immediate. The patients will be unable to put weight on the joint, i.e. it is impossible for them to walk without use of crutches.