So I Keep Hurting My Hamstring When I Tumble. Help?

[Jordie]

It's usually when I do my handstand. (Pretty pathetic I know.) I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong to cause this. The reason it's such a big deal is that I can't stretch my split because of it.

 

[TheCheerDiamond]

Wow. I would say out some icy hot on it. Or get some kind of brace. When I hurt my hamstring, I went to the doctor and they told me something I didn't want to hear - no tumbling :). Relax it and get a brace of some kind. Also take cold showers because if you take a warm shower.....you won't be able to move when you wake up in the morning.


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[WinstonsGirl]

Is it on your lunge leg or the opposite one??

 

[Jordie]

Is it on your lunge leg or the opposite one??

lung leg

 

[Jordie]

Wow. I would say out some icy hot on it. Or get some kind of brace. When I hurt my hamstring, I went to the doctor and they told me something I didn't want to hear - no tumbling :). Relax it and get a brace of some kind. Also take cold showers because if you take a warm shower.....you won't be able to move when you wake up in the morning.


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Thanks. Do you have any idea on how i could prevent this in the future?

 

[WinstonsGirl]

I would guess then that it has to do with over stretching it lunging into your handstand. You'll generally find more problems with your lunge leg cos it goes through so much in the way of forces and pressure getting into dynamic lunging positions (RO's, handstands, etc.).

I would suggest icing it after tumbling to help with swelling. If you've had a injury there before, you may have a lot of scar tissue buildup, even if the old injury has healed, which won't let you stretch much. You might need to see a massage therapist several times for them to work out the scar tissue. You can also start working it out with a foam roller, or tennis ball and using it to dig into the muscle. Go easy though if you have a fresh injury. If it doesn't get better, I'd definitely see someone - massage, physio, etc. to give you more professional advice

 

[BamaCheerGuy]

By no means am I a doctor. Anyone who has had hamstring issues all have an opinion. Sometimes a brace can be used, others ice. It all depends on what is hurting or hurt. Is it upper, inner, outer or low? The upper, right under our buttocks is what protects the hips and drives you forward, the lower protects the knee. There are 3 major muscles to a hamstring and various tendons. However they all work together on our movements, lunges, running etc. So if its an upper a brace may not help and give false security. So my advice is a) exact location of problem, b) do you remember when it first happened and c) what does it feel like? Also describe pain, stabbing, ache, burning? It could be as simple as a new stretching warmup procedure.


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[Matt Faherty]

I would agree that the most likely cause would be an overly stretched, or weak, hamstring. The hamstring muscle acts as the antagonist, or opposing muscle, to quadriceps muscle group.

Because of the sport we are in, we tend to train explosive, powerful, contractions of the quads. In turn, the hamstrings are prone to be in a lengthened position, where they are under constant tension, like a guitar string. Because of this, they can grow weak.

If you're body calls upon that weakened muscle group to handle a load its not accustom to, it sometimes will go into spasm, staying in a shortened position. If it was in spasm and the quads contacted, the quads would over power the poor hamstrings, possibly damaging muscle fibers of the hamstring.

This was actually a topic of a conference lecture I attended a few years back. The instructor had an anecdote about how one gym had really powerful tumblers who over trained their quads, and as a result, were blowing out there hamstrings left and right.

Anyways, this is all just background information. See a doctor. Until then, rice it. Rest. Ice. Compress. Elevate.

-coach Matt

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[Cheermom4lyfe]

See a doctor and follow the advice for recovery! Constant injuries take longer to heal and could eventually put you out of your sport. Better to take it easy a half season or so, than be out of commission permanently. It's hard to lose tumbling, risk placement on a team, etc., but sitting out and fully recovering is worth it down the road!


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[BuegeSmalls]

Is it upper, inner, outer or low? The upper, right under our buttocks is what protects the hips and drives you forward, the lower protects the knee.


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Ugh, I pulled a lower hamstring the day before tryouts just doing a handspring tuck, well I'm pretty positive that was what I did. It sucked!

 

[BamaCheerGuy]

Ugh, I pulled a lower hamstring the day before tryouts just doing a handspring tuck, well I'm pretty positive that was what I did. It sucked!

They are a pain, literally. Anytime one is pulled, just remember that most can be prevented by stretching. That's the cause of most, unless you are a runner. Debbie Love has or had a wonderful stretching routine. If possible, if you are near a university, talk to their athletic trainer and they will be happy to give you a routine.


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[Jordie]

Thanks so much everyone. It's odd because I doesn't hurt all the time, it's just reoccurring. I think I'm going to see a doctor about it.