Hamstring tear or strain is also known as a pulled hamstring. This injury occurs in the back muscles of the thigh and are common among athletes that need to sprint while performing their sports. In fact, hamstring injuries are regarded as the most common injuries in the United States with millions visiting the doctor each year.
Southern California Hip Institute (SCHI), led by outstanding board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tigran Garabekyan, provides orthopedic surgery to patients in Los Angeles, Century City, Beverly Hills, CA, and surrounding communities.
What are Hamstring Tears?
The hamstrings comprise of three muscle groups:
- the biceps femoris
- the semitendinosus
- the semimembranosus
Complete tears affect all three muscles while partial tears affect one or two tears. Hamstring muscles extend all the way to below the knee from under the buttocks. These muscles join the bones through the hamstring tendons. The muscles and tendons help your knees bend and flex promoting balance and mobility.
Hamstring tears usually occur when the muscles are overloaded or overstretched. Risk factors include:
- muscle weakness
- muscle tightness
- old age
- muscle strength imbalance
- improper training or poor conditioning
Signs of a Hamstring Tear
Sharp pain
Hamstring tears are usually accompanied by acute sharp pain in the back of the thigh near the muscle attachment to buttocks. The pain is often preceded by a popping or snapping sound at the moment of injury.
Bruising or swelling
Significant tissue damage is caused by hamstring tears resulting in significant bruising and swelling. Bruises may take a few days to appear while swelling may become apparent within a few hours of the injury.
Leg weakness
Hamstrings are responsible for the movement of the knees and hips when you run, walk, squat, or bend. Most people with torn hamstrings find these movements difficult.
Weight bearing problems
Hamstring tears make it difficult to bear weight on the leg in addition to finding moving and bending difficult. Most people experience a leg buckling feeling. They feel that their legs will give way if they attempt to place any weight on it.
Treating Hamstring Tears
Treatment depends on a wide array of factors. This includes the physical goals and condition of the patient and the extent of the hamstring tear. Whether you have a partial or a full hamstring tear, it may not heal on its own. This means that surgery is most often the recommended route for restoring normal function by repairing the tear in almost every instance.
You should consider working with a skilled endoscopic surgeon that has a high success rate. In general, small incisions are preferable to the traditional open surgery that requires larger incisions. You should not miss out on the period of physical therapy following the surgery for restoring strength and function in your legs.
You should speak with a skilled orthopedic specialist as soon as possible if you believe that you may have torn your hamstring or have some other symptom of an injury. Considerate board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tigran Garabekyan receives patients from Los Angeles, Century City, Beverly Hills, CA, and nearby areas for orthopedic surgery.
Contact the Southern California Hip Institute
Dr. Tigran Garabekyan is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip preservation. To learn more about Southern California Hip Institute or to schedule a consultation, click here to contact us or call:
Century City / Los Angeles: 310.595.1030
Serving patients in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Century City, West Hollywood, North Hollywood Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Burbank, Glendale and other neighboring cities in the greater Los Angeles, California area.
Also visit http://www.drgorthopedics.com/
