What are the symptoms of pulled hamstring?

Hamstring injuries usually occur with sudden runs, running, or jumping, resulting in muscle injury. It is commonly called "pulled hamstring". Often a "pop" is heard or felt by the injured athlete. A variable amount of pain is felt immediately. The sportsman is usually unable to continue his performance.

Examination of the person with a thigh injury reveals spasm, tightness and tenderness. With more serious injuries, swelling and black and blue bruises might appear. Strains most often occur in the middle of the back of the thigh where the muscle joins its tendon.

How the hamstring can be pulled?

Injuries to the thigh muscle group can vary from a minor strain to a major break. A minor strain is classified as a grade I tear, then II grade - a complete break or tear, a tear is classified as grade III. Grade II tears are partial ruptures. It should not be surprising that grade III injuries most often occur in the active sportsman. Strongly torn muscle causes dysfunction.

Grade I injuries tend to be soft so they tend to heal completely with only minor injuries worsening, especially in sedentary individuals. On the other hand, in power athletes, hamstring injuries can be severe and debilitating. Many promising careers or athletic successes have been limited or terminated by such injuries. A memorable example is that of the Yankee baseball star Mickey Mantle sprawled in agony at first base, having undergone a massive tear grade III while rushing to beat a jet. Even the simple joint exercises such as jumping rope, tennis, walking elliptical machine can result in injury of the hamstring muscles.