What can I do to reduce my torn hamstring’s recovery time?

Reducing your torn hamstring’s recovery time is the goal of most people who develop this painful injury. There are some steps you can take to meet this goal, but you’re more likely to meet it if you seek help from a physical therapist. 

Hamstring tears commonly occur in people who play sports, and it’s reported that hamstring injuries account for up to 25% of injuries in some sports. Going through torn hamstring recovery can take some time. At best, partial tears tend to heal in four to eight weeks. However, complete tears that require surgery may take up to three months to heal. No matter how severe your injury, there are steps you can take to speed up your recovery. 

Steps that can help reduce your torn hamstring’s recovery time

Some ways you can decrease the time it takes to recover from a hamstring tear are: 

1. Take it easy — Continuing to play your sport after injuring your hamstring can make your injury worse. Instead, it’s a good idea to get help for your injury and take a break from sports and other rigorous physical activity. This period of rest allows your body to focus on healing your injury. 

2. Move around a little — Just because you can’t do strenuous physical activities doesn’t mean you should put yourself on bed rest. Resting too much can decrease blood flow to your injury; it can also cause your muscles to weaken. Try to do short periods of light physical activity, like walking, as soon as your pain allows. 

3. Go to physical therapy — Many athletes work with trainers so that they can make the most of their workouts. In much the same way, working with a physical therapist can help you get the most out of your recovery process. 

How can physical therapy help shorten your torn hamstring recovery time?

Physical therapists have many techniques they can use to treat a torn hamstring, and these techniques can help shorten your recovery period. Some techniques your therapist might use to help your injured hamstring include: 

• Manual therapy: including Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and Myofascial release
• Therapeutic exercises including eccetric loading
• Blood flow restriction training
• TRX training

Find treatment for your torn hamstring at Armor PT

Ready to reduce your torn hamstring’s recovery time? Our Armor Physical Therapy team is primed to help you treat your hamstring injury. We offer free screenings that can help reveal the severity of your injury. In addition, our physical therapists excel at building individualized therapy plans designed to reduce pain and injury healing times. You can even get help from home by signing up for a virtual therapy or at-home care session with our team.

Contact us today for more information about our sports injury treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.