My Hamstring is not healing

Hi

I'll start with the history of the injury and information about my self.

I'm 41 and male and physical fit and up to October 2013 I ran 10k 3 times a week and I have been lucky enough to be injury free for most of my life.

Mid October 2013 I finished a normal run and did warm down and stretching and had no pain but the next morning I woke with a dull pain in the lower back of my left hamstring so I did not think anything of it and tried to stretch it out and it felt ok but a day latter on my running day I had to stop due to the pain increasing.

I did R.I.C.E straight away and did no running for about a week sine then I have not been able to run at all as every time I try to run the pain comes back but the pain feels like it is the whole of my hamstring but as it wares off it goes to my lower hamstring.

I've had no bruising and I had a MRI which came back clear an to date I have seen my GP and 2 different physio's who both said that there seems to be nothing wrong with he muscle.

I have tried every rehab routine I can find but nothing seems to work so I hoping that some can give me some advise

Hi
Very sorry to hear that you have been battling with this for such a long time. I'm only a student, so can't help you much. One thing we've learned is that the problem with hamstring injuries specifically, is that they can be painfree after about maybe 4 days without having completely healed, needing about 6 weeks or more to do so (obviously deepending on the type and severity of the injury). As a result you start putting too much stress on them too soon and they always reinjure until after 2 years scar tissue is formed. Somebody more experienced could give a more reliable and broader answer though, I'm not a physio (yet), so just commenting as a "regular" person. I don't know either if this applies to you, you don't exactly say how much rest time you have given it.

Hi

Thank you for your reply and I have tried everything from complete rest for weeks with mild stretching to very little exercise on my hamstring on a daily basis and at the moment I have just bee walking daily for about 2 miles which is pain free and have been doing this now for about 4 weeks but as soon as I try anything more the pain starts, I know that the hamstring can take a long time to heal but I'm just hoping for some advise from some who has maybe dealt with something like this.

Hello Jummy,
My initial impression is that the problem may not be your hamstring itself but it may be a referred pain from either your lower back or gluteals. This would explain why the MRI is clear.
Have you a history of lower back pain? If so you may get more effect from stretching your gluts and lower back and performing some gluteal and core strengthening exercises. Sometimes mobilisations to the lower back and deep tissue massage of the gluteals can improve the pain you are describing.

regards
Rod
Fountain Gate Physiotherapy | Physio Narre Warren, Berwick, Hallam, Cranbourne and Beaconsfield.

Hi
Thank you for your advise and I did start to think the same as it is strange that I can do hamstring curls and Nordic curls with no pain to my hamstring but I do get pain if I run or stretch my hamstring.

I have started doing a lot of squats and core work with no pain but If I do lunges the pain comes back.

I don't have any back problems but one of the Physiotherapist said that I have a slight pelvic imbalance but this should not affect my hamstring so I'm not sure what it is but I would have hoped that one of Physio's would have picked up a glute or lower back problem.

Maybe I should get third opinion ?

Hi,
A third opinion isn't a bad idea. With hamstring I tend to diagnose through exclusion. The majority of hamstring pain is related to the lower back. It is estimated only about 20% of hamstring pains are actual tears of the muscle. Taking into consideration your history, my first intervention would be to work through your lower back and gluteals and see if this does make a change to your pain.
The hamstring has a close relationship with the core. It is a muscle group that assists your gluts. Most people have some weakness through their gluts so the hamstring tends to be overworked and results in tears or fatigue. Weak gluts also overload the lower back.
Best of luck.
Rod
Fountain Gate Physiotherapy | Physio Narre Warren, Berwick, Hallam, Cranbourne and Beaconsfield.

P.S. if you have found this comment useful please say thanks.

HiThank you for your recommend and I did begin to think the same as it is unusual that I can do hamstring muscle waves and Nordic waves with no discomfort to my hamstring muscle but I do get discomfort if I run or expand my hamstring muscle.


I have began doing a lot of the squat and primary perform with no discomfort but If I do runs the discomfort comes returning.


I don't have any returning issues but one of the Physiotherapist therapist said that I have a minor pelvic discrepancy but this should not impact my hamstring muscle so I'm not sure what it is but I would have expected that one of Physio's would have grabbed a glute or returning issue.


Maybe I should get third viewpoint ?