Hamstring Strain Treatment & Exercises

Hamstring Injury Treatment in Castle Hill & Chatswood

A hamstring strain or tear is a common injury affecting the muscles at the back of the thigh. It can occur during running, sprinting, jumping, sudden acceleration, sport or other activities that place excessive stress on the hamstring muscles.

If you have a hamstring strain or tear, physiotherapy can help you recover safely and return to your normal activities.

At our Castle Hill and Chatswood physiotherapy clinics, our physiotherapists assess hamstring injuries and provide personalised treatment and exercise rehabilitation programs designed to reduce pain, restore mobility and rebuild strength.

Symptoms of a Hamstring Strain

Depending on the severity of the injury, you may experience:

Pain or tenderness at the back of the thigh
Sudden pain during running or exercise
Tightness or stiffness
Swelling or bruising
Pain when stretching the hamstring
Weakness in the affected leg
Difficulty walking or running
Reduced sporting performance

More significant hamstring tears may cause considerable bruising, weakness and difficulty putting weight through the affected leg.

Physiotherapy for Hamstring Strains & Tears

Your physiotherapist will assess your injury, including your pain, range of motion, muscle strength and functional ability, before developing a rehabilitation program based on your individual needs.

Physiotherapy treatment may include:

Pain management
Manual therapy and soft tissue techniques
Mobility and range-of-motion exercises
Progressive hamstring strengthening
Hip, gluteal and core strengthening
Functional exercisesRunning and sports-specific rehabilitation
Education and injury-prevention strategies

Other physiotherapy treatment modalities may be incorporated where clinically appropriate. However, treatment should generally be combined with an active exercise and rehabilitation program to restore strength and function.

1. Standing Hamstring Stretch

Place the heel of the affected leg on a low stool or stable surface. Keep your leg straight and gently lean forward from your hips until you feel a comfortable stretch at the back of your thigh.

Avoid rounding your lower back or forcing the stretch.

This exercise may help improve hamstring flexibility and range of motion when appropriate for your stage of recovery.

2. Wall Hamstring Stretch

Lie on your back near a doorway or wall. Keep one leg comfortably along the floor while raising the affected leg against the wall.

Gradually straighten the raised leg until you feel a gentle stretch through the back of your thigh.

Your physiotherapist can advise how long to hold the stretch and whether stretching is appropriate for your particular hamstring injury.

3. Seated Hamstring / Neural Mobility Exercise

In some cases, your physiotherapist may prescribe controlled seated movements involving the knee, ankle and spine.

These exercises can be used to address mobility or neural sensitivity where appropriate. They should be performed according to your physiotherapist's instructions rather than aggressively stretching into pain.

4. Prone Knee Bend

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight. Slowly bend the knee of the affected leg, bringing your heel towards your buttock, and then gradually return to the starting position.

As your strength improves, your physiotherapist may progress the exercise by adding appropriate resistance.

5. Prone Hip Extension

Lie on your stomach and gently tighten your abdominal and gluteal muscles. Keeping the affected leg straight, slowly lift it a short distance from the floor before lowering it with control.

This exercise can help strengthen the gluteal, hip and posterior-chain muscles that work together with the hamstrings.

6. Resisted Hamstring Curl

Resistance bands can be used to progressively strengthen the hamstring muscles.

The exercise involves bending the knee against controlled resistance before slowly returning to the starting position.

Resistance can gradually be increased as your hamstring strength and tolerance improve.

7. Bridge / Heel-Elevated Bridge

Lie on your back with your heels supported on a stable surface. Engage your abdominal and gluteal muscles and gradually lift your hips from the floor.

Bridge variations can be progressed as your hamstring becomes stronger and your physiotherapist determines that you are ready for greater loading.

8. Lunges

Lunges may be introduced during the later stages of rehabilitation to improve lower-limb strength, balance and functional control.

Step forward and gradually lower your body while maintaining good hip, knee and foot alignment. Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

As strength improves, resistance may be gradually added.

Hamstring Rehabilitation Exercises

Exercise is an important part of recovering from a hamstring strain or tear.Your physiotherapist can determine which exercises are suitable for your stage of recovery.

Rehabilitation generally begins with comfortable movement and controlled exercises before gradually progressing towards strengthening, functional movement and higher-load activities.

The following are examples of exercises that may form part of a hamstring rehabilitation program.

Progressive Hamstring Strengthening

As your symptoms improve, rehabilitation should progress beyond gentle stretching and basic exercises.

Your physiotherapist may introduce exercises involving greater resistance, eccentric hamstring strengthening, single-leg control, running, jumping and sports-specific movements, depending on your goals.

A progressive rehabilitation program helps prepare the hamstrings for the loads they will experience during everyday activities, work and sport.

Returning to Running & Sport

Feeling less pain does not necessarily mean that your hamstring is ready for unrestricted running or sport.

Before returning to higher-level activities, your physiotherapist may assess:

Hamstring strength
Flexibility and range of motion
Single-leg control
Running tolerance
Acceleration and deceleration
Jumping and landing
Sports-specific movements

A gradual return to activity can help rebuild confidence and reduce the risk of aggravating the injury.

Hamstring Physiotherapy in Castle Hill & Chatswood

If you have injured your hamstring during running, sport, exercise, work or everyday activities, our physiotherapists can help you through each stage of your recovery.

Our Castle Hill and Chatswood physiotherapy clinics provide personalised hamstring injury assessment, treatment and rehabilitation, from early pain management through to strengthening and return to sport or normal activity.

Book a Hamstring Injury Assessment

Don't let a hamstring injury keep you away from the activities you enjoy.

Book an appointment with our physiotherapy team in Castle Hill or Chatswood for an individual assessment and personalised hamstring rehabilitation program.

Exercises shown on this page are general examples only. The appropriate exercises, resistance and progression will depend on your individual injury and stage of recovery.