Should i ice my hamstring

If you have had a pulled hamstring or another hamstring injury using heat after the initial injury phase has passed can help get you on the path to healing a bit quicker. Heat works by causing vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels. This increase in blood vessel size increases blood flow to the muscles and surrounding tissues which brings more of the necessary oxygen and nutrients. Heat therapy can benefit almost any hamstring injury but is especially helpful for overuse injuries that linger for a long time.

Here are the three benefits of heat therapy:. To apply heat therapy, use a heating pad or hot pack and place it against the injured area. Put a towel between the heat source and your thigh and secure it with an elastic bandage if necessary. Here are our best tips for apply heat:. Use heat before you exercise to warm up muscles. Heat therapy should be used for 15 to 20 minutes. Never sleep with a hot pack, it can cause skin burns. Here is where you can find just about every hot and cold therapy product you need to manage your hamstring pain.

Hot and cold therapy both have some obvious benefits to a hamstring strain and it turns out you can use them together. To perform alternating hot and cold therapy grab both an ice pack and heating pad. The ratio of cold to heat is 1 minute of cold to 3 minutes of heat. Just be sure you end with cold therapy. See our in-depth guide on alternating hot and cold therapy for more.

A hamstring injury can cause pain and swelling that interferes with your daily activities. One way to treat your injury in the comfort of your own home is with ice and heat. The cold will numb away pain and reduce swelling, while heat soothes your sore muscle. Not every hamstring injury can be treated with ice and heat so make sure to talk to your doctor before you begin. Patty Weasler is a freelance health writer and nurse.

She is certified in critical care nursing and has been practicing for over 10 years. Patty lives in Milwaukee, WI with her husband and three children. She enjoys spending her time with family and educating people about their health. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Use. Affiliate Disclosure. Medical Disclaimer. Mobility Shop All. Hamstring strain. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Hamstring injuries.

Muscle strains about the hip and thigh. Orthopaedic Rehabilitation of the Athlete. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; chap Wilderness orthopedics. Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine. Updated by: C. Editorial team. Hamstring strain - aftercare. More About a Hamstring Strain. 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.

The body will naturally raise the temperature at the site of the injury resulting in the inflammatory response redness, heat sensation, inflammation and swelling. This 'fake fever' leaks blood flow to the area to cool it down and start the healing process. Adding 'heat' to your hamstring when it's already inflamed and tender may make your body think there's a new threat to your tissue and increase the pain in order to get you to stop.

You'll feel even more pain as the pressure builds in your hamstring. In these cases, heat should be applied later on in the healing cycle. In the meantime, use a Cold Compress or Ice Pack to help decrease any inflammation induced pain. Heat can be used again the next day if you notice any residual stiffness.

If the stiffness remains, you should continue to use heat to make sure your old hamstring injury doesn't get worse. You're not sure if you have an injury, but the pain seems to come and go only when you're on your feet for an extended period of time or walking, jogging or running. Typically, the pain is a sharp pain, and continues to radiate along the hamstring. Afterwards your hamstring feels weak or unstable.

The pain is probably a signal that you are reinjuring your hamstring, and this means cold is needed initially. Use a Cold Compress or Ice Pack as a natural pain-reliever and for inflammation reduction. The cold compression will also decrease the amount of damage being done to your leg. If you have not seen a physician, then do so to determine the problem.

Keep using TShellz Wrap treatments before activity and when you notice any stiffness in your hamstring to 'warm up' your tissue and stimulate healing. If you have questions, call our office at toll free continental US. For many people, the treatment won't just end there. Stretching is also an important part of hamstring healing - and it's the final step needed when healing your hamstring muscle injury with conservative treatment methods.

You would be suprised by how many people there are that don't understand the importance of stretching a hamstring injury. Before returning to full activity after a hamstring injury, PTs prescribe gentle stretching This is because stretching is the secret of healing any muscle injury. Consistent stretching is one of few solutions available to help break up scar tissue that forms on your hamstring as it heals.

Read more about hamstring stretching here. Here at AidYourHamstring we pride ourselves in helping you with your healing and recovery process. Everyone at AidYourHamstring has tested and used the products, finding solutions to conditions that do not fit into the norm. This dedication to our customers and our products goes hand-in-hand with our guarantees to you as a customer: Guarantee 1 - Use your products diligently for up to 60 days and you will experience a significant reduction in pain.

Guarantee 2 - You will not be left in the dark after purchasing any product from us. AidYourHamstring Advisers and Product Specialists are available 7 days a week by toll free phone or email to answer your questions or concerns. Guarantee 3 - Your order is guaranteed to be shipped within 24 hours on every business day. Guarantee 4 - All purchases receive a one year, full replacement warranty with guaranteed, prompt service. Guarantee 5 - You could save hundreds of dollars and possibly more, by utilizing our products, and getting back to work sooner.

AidYourHamstring advisors do not work on commission, so be assured you will only receive fair and objective information. I want to learn more about Circulation Boost.

I want to learn more about Stretching for the Hamstring. I want to learn more about Soft Tissue Injury Treatments. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results! Hamstring Muscles cross both your hip and knee, and help extend straighten the hip or bend the knee. A Hamstring injury is an injury to one of the three different hamstring muscles in the back of the thigh. Continually using your Hamstring muscles while injured will lead to a worse injury; and yes, it is difficult to avoid using the Hamstring.

Once you have suffered one Hamstring injury, there is a very good chance you will suffer another Hamstring injury. Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

All testimonials and comments reflect the real life experiences of individuals that used our products, however, individual results may vary. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before using any of our outstanding products to make sure they are right for you and your condition or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition. More Hamstring Injury Facts: Oral Medications can mask the pain but do not aid in the healing of a Hamstring muscle injury.

Possible Reasons for High Rates of Hamstring Injury: Timing and Coordination problems during a running sprint - specifically during the time the back leg is off the ground and pulled forward to place on ground in front of you. Recurring injury is common in athletes and sportsmen, as you're more likely to injure your hamstring if you've injured it before.

Regularly doing stretching and strengthening exercises , and warming up before exercise , may help reduce the risk of injuring your hamstring. Mild hamstring strains grade 1 will usually cause sudden pain and tenderness at the back of your thigh. It may be painful to move your leg, but the strength of the muscle should not be affected.

Partial hamstring tears grade 2 are usually more painful and tender. There may also be some swelling and bruising at the back of your thigh and you may have lost some strength in your leg. Severe hamstring tears grade 3 will usually be very painful, tender, swollen and bruised. There may have been a "popping" sensation at the time of the injury and you'll be unable to use the affected leg.

Most hamstring injuries can be cared for at home using the techniques outlined below. Consider seeing your GP if you have any concerns about your injury, particularly if you think it's a severe injury, it's not healing, or your symptoms are getting worse. Your GP can also advise you about when you can return to your normal activities and what exercises you should do to aid your recovery in the meantime.

They may be able to refer you to a physiotherapist for specialist treatment in some cases. Recovering from a hamstring injury may take days, weeks or months, depending on how severe it is.