How to Heal A Pulled Hamstring Fast?

Pulling a hamstring is no joke. It can lead to a world of pain, which is why we discussed all the things you can do to help yourself recover faster.

What Does A Strained Hamstring Feel Like?

If you didn’t severely pull the muscle, you should be in very little discomfort. If it was severe, the pain would be agonizing – you won’t be able to stand or walk.

There would be bruising along the sprained area. Expect it to feel tender as well. You will most likely hear a popping sound from the hamstring too. And the pain would especially be present in the lower thigh and buttock.

How Do You Treat A Pulled Hamstring?

The muscle will heal itself. However, several things would help it get back to normal faster. If the strain was severe, there’s sadly nothing you can do. Surgery would be the only option.

Rest

The most important thing you can do is rest the leg. You should minimize how much pressure you put on it. A crutch might be needed. But speak to your therapist or doctor first. They’ll help you find the best crutches.

Ice

As mentioned, the sprained area would get swollen. You can reduce it by placing an ice pack. Anything cold would work.

Do you have frozen peas around? They tend to be better than ice, as they don’t melt. And they retain their temperature for longer.

Compression

Compression would also help with the swelling. An elastic bandage would be fine. Just don’t wrap it around the hamstring too tight. This would cause more damage to the area.

Compression along with the ice will not only help with the swelling, but they would automatically tackle pain as well.

Stretching

One of the best ways you can bounce back is by strengthening your leg. It’s dangerous to do this yourself, especially if you’re an athlete. You’re advised to go to sports physio or a regular PT, and get them to help with stretching and strengthening the muscle.

How Long Will Recovery Take?

How long until you’ll be able to bounce back depends on how bad you pulled your hamstring. Furthermore, everyone heals at different rates. You may do the exact things as another individual but heal slower.

You’re advised to not push the recovery. Don’t get back to regular activities without making sure of a few things. They would be when:

• Your injured and injured leg feels about as strong.
• You can move both legs freely.
• You don’t feel pain in the injured leg when you walk, run or jump.

Know that pushing yourself when the muscle has not healed would cause permanent damage.

Final Thoughts

Considering everything we talked about, what do you think? How much discomfort you’ll be in depends on how bad you’ve strained the muscle. It will heal back to how it was if the strain wasn’t severe. All the points we talked about would help you get back to normal as fast as possible.