Running has been shown to provide numerous benefits including improved cardiovascular health, increased endurance, increased muscular strength, improved brain function, improved bone health, stress relief, enhanced immune function, and improved sleep. However, it does not always come without challenges. Hamstring pain can be a common issue that runners face due to increased training volumes, increased loads, poor nutrition, poor sleep, or increased stress before a big run.
What are the Hamstrings?
The hamstrings are a large group of muscles located on the posterior or back side of your thighs and are responsible for the bending of your knee and extending of your hips. Both of these movements are essential in running and maintaining proper running mechanics.
Hamstring pain can stem from various reasons, and here is a deeper dive into some of the potential causes:
Overuse and Strain: Increasing frequency, intensity, or duration of your runs too quickly can lead to an overuse injury. Avoiding sudden jumps in training speed, duration, or intensity can mitigate injury.
Skipping the Warm-Up: A dynamic warm-up prior to running can improve blood flow to the tissues and prime the body for movement leaving your muscles, including your hamstrings, at a decreased risk of injury.
Muscle Imbalances: Strength training can be important in conjunction with your running plan to avoid weaknesses in surrounding muscles such as the glutes and quadriceps placing an unnecessary load on your hamstrings.
Poor Running Technique: Overstriding can place your hamstrings in a more disadvantaged position leading them susceptible to increased load or strain. Cadence tracking can be important in the reduction of injuries with running. Running cadence is the amount of steps per minute and gives objective data on stride length and running speed.
Previous Injuries: Ramping up your running prior to your previous injury can lead you more prone to re-injury. Having a proper rehabilitation program from a physical therapist can assist you in knowing when to return to running!
Not caring for your body: Improper hydration, sleep, nutrition, caloric intake, or stress levels can affect your body’s homeostasis, optimal conditions for body processes and function. Without homeostasis your body or hamstrings can be in a weakened state and at an increased risk of injury with loading such as running.
If you are experiencing Hamstring Pain, Here is what you need to do!
Make sure you have implemented a proper warm-up with dynamic stretching, make sure you follow a running program that avoids excessive loading increasing your pain levels, take a deeper look at your sleep, stress, hydration, and nutrition levels. Start performing strength training exercises for the hamstrings and surrounding tissues to improve blood flow, increased strength, and reduce pain levels. Try 2 sets of 8-12 reps of these exercises prior to your run and let us know what you think!
Lastly, TAKE ACTION! Ignoring hamstring pain can lead to more severe injuries which could potentially take you out of your running plan for a longer period of time. Addressing hamstring pain early is crucial! Take the first step towards pain-free running by incorporating these tips into your routine. Remember by performing self maintenance injury preventative exercises, you can prevent any future injuries from arising. If you are struggling with hamstring pain during your runs, it might be time to see a Doctor of Physical Therapy at MotionRX to give you a detailed customized plan for you and your running goals! Click the link below to take control of your health!