HAMSTRING STRAIN / INJURY

HAMSTRING INJURY/STRAIN - A hamstring injury occurs when you strain or pull one of your hamstring muscles — the group of three muscles that run along the back of your thigh. 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. Hamstring injury can occur in runners and in dancers as well.A hamstring injury typically causes a sudden, sharp pain in the back of your thigh. You might also feel a "popping" or tearing sensation. Swelling and tenderness usually develop within a few hours. You may also experience bruising or discoloration along the back of your leg, as well as muscle weakness or an inability to put weight on your injured leg. A strain is when a muscle becomes overstretched and tears. This painful injury is also called a "pulled muscle." If you have strained your hamstring, you have pulled one or more of the muscles on the back of your upper leg.

There are 3 levels of hamstring strains:

• Grade 1 -- mild muscle strain or pull

• Grade 2 -- partial muscle tear

• Grade 3 -- complete muscle tear 

Recovery time depends on the grade of the injury. A minor grade 1 injury can heal in a few days, while a grade 3 injury could take much longer to heal or need surgery.