How to Relieve Hamstring Pain
Stop moving and do not put weight on the injured leg., Apply ice packs to the hamstring., Wrap your upper leg in a compression bandage or wear compression shorts., Elevate your leg above the level of your heart., Take over-the-counter pain...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Stop moving and do not put weight on the injured leg.
If you injure your hamstring while doing sports or any physical activity, you should stop moving and take any weight off your leg.
This will ensure you do not make the injury any worse and can protect your hamstring from further damage., Icing your hamstring will reduce any swelling or inflammation.
Use ice packs or a bag of frozen peas.
You can also fill a long tube sock with rice and put it in the freezer overnight, then apply it to your injured hamstring.Put the ice on your hamstring for 10–15 minutes at a time, every hour on the first 24 hours of injury.
Leave the ice pack off at night while you sleep.
After the first 24 hours, ice the hamstring four to five times, or two to three hours, a day.
Once you can walk on your injured leg without any pain, you should alternate heat and cold, following the pattern: two minutes hot, one minute cold, for six cycles.
Repeat the cycle twice a day. , The compression will help to reduce any swelling in the injured area.
Make sure the bandage is wrapped tightly enough around your upper leg to apply medium pressure, but not too tightly.
The bandage should not cause any bulging around the injured area or stop blood flow to the area.
To put on the compression bandage, begin by wrapping the bandage high on your leg, above the injured area.
Once the swelling goes down, you no longer need to wrap your injured hamstring.
If the pain around the injured area increases once you wrap it with the compression bandage, the bandage is too tight.
Loosen it up or re wrap it so it is not as tight around your leg. , Elevating your leg will help to improve blood flow to the area and reduce any pain.
You should rest your leg on several pillows or a raised chair as much as possible to encourage healing.
After the first or second day of the injury, try to move a little bit every hour or so, slowly and carefully.
Do not overdo your movements or put too much weight on the leg as this can make the hamstring injury worse. , To reduce the pain and the swelling in the injured area, take OTC pain medication.
You can find ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) at your local grocery store or drugstore. -
Step 2: Apply ice packs to the hamstring.
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Step 3: Wrap your upper leg in a compression bandage or wear compression shorts.
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Step 4: Elevate your leg above the level of your heart.
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Step 5: Take over-the-counter pain medication.
Detailed Guide
If you injure your hamstring while doing sports or any physical activity, you should stop moving and take any weight off your leg.
This will ensure you do not make the injury any worse and can protect your hamstring from further damage., Icing your hamstring will reduce any swelling or inflammation.
Use ice packs or a bag of frozen peas.
You can also fill a long tube sock with rice and put it in the freezer overnight, then apply it to your injured hamstring.Put the ice on your hamstring for 10–15 minutes at a time, every hour on the first 24 hours of injury.
Leave the ice pack off at night while you sleep.
After the first 24 hours, ice the hamstring four to five times, or two to three hours, a day.
Once you can walk on your injured leg without any pain, you should alternate heat and cold, following the pattern: two minutes hot, one minute cold, for six cycles.
Repeat the cycle twice a day. , The compression will help to reduce any swelling in the injured area.
Make sure the bandage is wrapped tightly enough around your upper leg to apply medium pressure, but not too tightly.
The bandage should not cause any bulging around the injured area or stop blood flow to the area.
To put on the compression bandage, begin by wrapping the bandage high on your leg, above the injured area.
Once the swelling goes down, you no longer need to wrap your injured hamstring.
If the pain around the injured area increases once you wrap it with the compression bandage, the bandage is too tight.
Loosen it up or re wrap it so it is not as tight around your leg. , Elevating your leg will help to improve blood flow to the area and reduce any pain.
You should rest your leg on several pillows or a raised chair as much as possible to encourage healing.
After the first or second day of the injury, try to move a little bit every hour or so, slowly and carefully.
Do not overdo your movements or put too much weight on the leg as this can make the hamstring injury worse. , To reduce the pain and the swelling in the injured area, take OTC pain medication.
You can find ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) at your local grocery store or drugstore.
About the Author
Pamela Bailey
Brings years of experience writing about home improvement and related subjects.
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