While not a major injury, straining your hamstring can be extremely frustrating. This is especially true if you are an athlete, a weekend warrior or someone with a physical job that is being affected. While it may be tempting to try and work through the pain, it is imperative to take your recovery process seriously. Rushing through treatment or not getting enough rest can turn a minor injury into a serious one or cause a number of related compensatory issues.
If you’re an Overland Park, Kansas, resident who is concerned about your hamstring strain recovery time, our team is here to help. Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation has a fully appointed clinic right here in town with expert clinicians who can provide the care you need. Read on to learn how working with a physical therapist can not only shorten your recovery period, but also help to prevent future injuries.
Please feel free to contact us if you’d like to learn more about the full range of our treatment options or if you have any questions.
Benefits of physical therapy for a hamstring strain
Physical therapy is designed to help people dealing with injuries and other conditions relieve pain, improve mobility and get back to basic functioning. By using evidence-based methods, physical therapists are uniquely qualified to help people who have developed musculoskeletal injuries related to sports or other high-impact activities.
To help shorten the recovery time for hamstring strains and similar injuries, a physical therapist can take the following steps:
- Review your health and treatment history
- Discuss your pain level and recovery goals
- Perform a hands-on examination to test range of motion and detect painful areas and movements
- Administer a movement test to see what biomechanical factors may have contributed to the hamstring strain
- Develop a treatment plan consisting of strength and stability exercises, gentle stretches, soft tissue mobilization, trigger point release and other therapeutic methods
- Provide instruction on proper form, mechanics, warmups and at-home treatments you can use to speed up recovery time and prevent reinjury or compensatory injury
To give yourself the best chance of a speedy recovery, you should get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, commit to therapeutic exercises and regularly perform treatments like hot and cold therapy as instructed by your therapist.
Reach out to SSOR today
The caring team at SSOR Overland Park is here to get you back into action as quickly as possible if you’re recovering from a hamstring strain. Contact us today to schedule your initial appointment.