Question about a torn muscle...

[dix0r 0]

I tore my hamstring around 7 years ago playing soccer. I couldn't walk at all the first couple days. I went to the doctor and got referred to a phsyical therapist, who said I had a hip pointer. He did a bunch of stuff that didn't help at all, and after a month he said that he was wrong and that I actually tore my hamstring. I stayed in therapy for another couple months...They did the ultrasound thing to my butt, massaged it, used electrodes on it, made me stretch and lift weights, etc. This seemed to help but not totally.

After I was cleared to play I kept hurting it in practice and would have to take a week or two off everytime. Eventually I took another few months off and never hurt it badly again, but its never really felt 100%.

Aren't torn hamstrings supposed to heal in a couple months? I've been playing hockey like 4-5 times a week recently and its starting to bug again. Its always sore after skating. I try to warm up, do some dynamic stretching, play, and do static stretching afterwards. I don't know if even light stretching just aggravates it more and I shouldn't do anything, or what? Seems like anything I do just bugs it.

Also, something makes a weird noise sometimes - If I kick my left knee up towards my right shoulder, I can hear a little pop, and it feels like a muscle where my butt meets my inner theigh is "stuck" on something and then slides past it. I don't know if it could be scar tissue or something?

The doctor never told me, but if I had to guess, it feels like its the inner most part of the muscle - the semitendinosus I believe. If it even is my hamstring? It feels like it's deeper in my leg...

So, is there anything I can do? Should I stretch very lightly or just to the point where it starts to hurt?

Hopefully somebody here can help me out a little. I don't know where else to ask. Ermm, other than the doctor ($$$)...

Thanks...

[Gongshow11 1]

i tore my hamstring too, got crt or art done to it (form of therapy), helped a lot. maybe u need surgery

[MNdgame 0]

If you're active hamstrings can be a reoccuring injury for a long time. I know kids that have had problems with them for a while.

[QandA 0]

I can do the "pop" with the knee and I never pulled my hamstring.

[Chadd 916]

You need to stretch quite a bit every day if you have hammy problems. When I don't (most days) mine are tight as hell. When I actually do stretch a few days in a row, it seems to help quite a bit.

[#94 3]

I think the problem is in your semimembranosus muscle.

The semitendonosis is going to control your MCL and it seems as though you're fine in that department.

In your case, is seems as though you have problems in your glutes when your knee goes into flexion...

The semimembranosis muscle is responsible for knee flexion and is the inner-most muscle of the hammys.

You need to stretch a lot, you may want to look into strengthening the hammys more, and also, you may even need to strengthen your quads more.

Good luck.

[dix0r 0]

I think the problem is in your semimembranosus muscle.

The semitendonosis is going to control your MCL and it seems as though you're fine in that department.

In your case, is seems as though you have problems in your glutes when your knee goes into flexion...

The semimembranosis muscle is responsible for knee flexion and is the inner-most muscle of the hammys.

You need to stretch a lot, you may want to look into strengthening the hammys more, and also, you may even need to strengthen your quads more.

Good luck.

You're good! I looked up pictures of where that muscle is and, as far as I can tell, that is whats hurting me. Also the descriptions of what it does seem to fit with when I can feel it (and how I hurt it).

Are there any specific stretches you'd recommend? Do I stretch it just until the point where it starts to hurt, or not even that far?

The one that seems to get it the best that I've found is getting in the "take a knee" stance and reaching forward, putting my chest towards me knee. Or, If I lay on my back and have one leg flat on the ground, and the other knee towards my head, I'll gradually straighten out my leg while somebody pushes against my foot for some resistance.

And as far as strenghtening goes...I can feel that muscle the most when I do leg curls while laying on my stomach. Should I just do those and squats for the quads?

Thanks so much...

-Mike

[#94 3]

Squats and leg curls are both good for that, as you will be strengthening your glutes, which is the area that seems to be bothering you the most.

You may want to see a doctor about your glutes. All of the stretches you are doing focus on the glutes and when that's the area that's bothering you, you may want to get it looked at because it is no longer a quad problem, but now a glute problem.

If you have any more questions/concerns, let me know.