Preventing Hamstring Injury: A Physiotherapist's Perspective
Hamstring injuries are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, primarily seen in athletic populations but also in the general public. Whether you're sprinting down a field to score a try or just reaching to pick something up off the floor, hamstring injuries can be frustrating, recurrent, and at times debilitating if not addressed properly.
At Wavefront Wellness, we focus not only on treating injury but on preventing them through evidence-based approaches tailored to your individual needs and goals.
What is a Hamstring Injury?
The hamstrings are a group of muscles. Three to be exact. Their names are the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus, located at the back of the thigh. These muscles have a few functions, primarily working to bend the knee and extend the hip. These muscles are heavily involved in high-speed movements and eccentric loading, where the muscle lengthens under tension. This makes them incredibly powerful, but also incredibly susceptible to injury.
Principles of Physiotherapy in Hamstring Injuries
Preventing hamstring injuries requires a layered approach; its not just about getting stronger or stretching. Here at Wavefront, we apply 4 principles.
Eccentric strength training
The hamstrings are commonly injured during eccentric loading, especially with the hip being flexed and the knee extended, such as in the late swing phase of sprinting. This places massive stress on the proximal tendon. Therefore, our prevention reflects this. We incorporate exercises such as Nordic hamstring curls, Romanian deadlifts and slider leg curls with focus on the hamstrings in a lengthened position. The reason we do this is because eccentric training increases muscle-tendon resilience; it additionally has a useful kinematic impact by improving force production and acceptance, helping with mechanisms such as sprinting and deceleration.
Lumbopelvic Stability and Core Control
Often in Physiotherapy, we get so focused on the injury site that we forget to incorporate elements relating to function. Hamstring function is closely tied to pelvic position due to the insertion sites of the hamstring muscles. Poor core control may increase strain on the hamstrings when in compromised positions. Therefore, we aim to add core and glute exercises such as bird dogs, dead bugs and single-leg glute bridges to support the pelvis and allow the hamstrings to work more efficiently.
Proprioception and Neuromuscular Control
Proprioception refers to the body's ability to sense movement, position and force within itself. Every exercise you do will have an element of this embedded in it; however, to make things more specific, developing balance, applying the use of unilateral exercises and reactive drills, can be important in sporting populations, the elderly and for particular occupations. Improved neuromuscular control can help the body to react to stimuli more efficiently, reducing injury risk in more unpredictable environments.
Plyometrics and High-Speed Training Integration
Many hamstring injuries happen during high-speed running or cutting situations, where force production and absorption at rapid rates is required. Therefore, we like to integrate plyometrics such as pogo, bounding, sprinting and cutting drills into our physiotherapy management in a gradual pattern. This builds tolerance to explosive actions, preparing for sport-specific demands.
Why Wavefront
At Wavefront , you won't just get a standard list of exercises. Our Physiotherapists aim to:
Conduct an individualised virtual assessment.
Use both sport science principles, such as knowledge of biomechanics and strength and conditioning, within our physiotherapy programming to get you results beyond reducing pain.
Create a specific, evidence-based program just for you.
Our approach is rooted in education, empowerment and long-term prevention, ensuring you're not only pain-free but resilient for the long haul.
Ready to Build Those Hamstrings?
Whether you're recovering from a hamstring strain or want to prevent one from ever happening, we're here to help. Book an assessment with our Physiotherapists to start moving with more confidence.
References
Chumanov, E.S., Heiderscheit, B.C. and Thelen, D.G., 2011. Hamstring musculotendon dynamics during stance and swing phases of high speed running. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 43(3), p.525.
Hu, C., Du, Z., Tao, M. and Song, Y., 2023. Effects of different hamstring eccentric exercise programs on preventing lower extremity injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(3), p.2057.
Rudisill, S.S., Varady, N.H., Kucharik, M.P., Eberlin, C.T. and Martin, S.D., 2023. Evidence-based hamstring injury prevention and risk factor management: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The American journal of sports medicine, 51(7), pp.1927-1942.
Tedeschi, R., Giorgi, F. and Donati, D., 2025. Sprint training for hamstring injury prevention: A scoping review. Applied Sciences, 15(16), p.9003.
