Different Kinds Of Hamstring Exercises For Physical Therapy Treatment

A hamstring injury can give you problems. You might fail to move around a lot and that might frustrate you. However, there are exercises that can help you to recover or strengthen the affected muscles. For instance, there are a lot of hamstring physical therapy exercises that you can do to keep yourself recovering safely.

In the next paragraphs, you will get more exercises that are good for people with hamstring injuries. Some of them can be good as back physical therapy exercises while others can be your physical therapy neck exercises.

Most of the exercises can be done as an individual but couples therapy exercises are also highly recommended.

Physical Therapy Exercises For A Pulled Hamstring

Having a pulled hamstring makes it difficult to move around. And the pain can be unbearable. But regardless of being uncomfortable, you can do hamstring physical therapy exercises that can speed up the healing process.

You might frown at exercising with a pulled hamstring, but it is quite helpful. There are various exercises that are ideal for people suffering from a pulled hamstring. With a pulled hamstring, you should avoid high intensity exercise or strenuous exercises. You should do low impact exercises. For instance, you can do stretch and strength exercise. Below are the physical therapy exercises for a pulled hamstring;

Hamstring Set

The hamstring set is also a good exercise that you can do when you have a pulled hamstring. It is good for stretching as well as strengthening your muscles. Interestingly, you do not need any additional equipment. This is how you do it;

1. Start by sitting down on the floor and bend the affected leg so that your knee is pointing upwards. The other leg can be lying down on the floor.
2. Press your heel against the floor so that your muscles on the bent leg can tighten. Hold in that position and count up to 5.
3. Rest your leg for 10 seconds and then repeat for about 10 times to 15 times.

Physical Therapy Exercises For Torn Hamstring

As much as you will be having pains, physical therapy exercises are good for your recovery. What are physical therapy exercises? These include the stretch and strengthening exercises and most importantly, these exercises are of less intense. Some exercises that may make you feel better are as follows;

Hip Extension

This is another exercise that can be done under physical therapy if you are suffering from hamstring pain. You can do the exercise without any equipment, or you can use a resistance band to make it more challenging. However, you should not over-exercise your strained hamstring. To do the exercise, you can follow the steps below;

1. Stand 30 cm from the wall. Make sure that you are facing the wall with your palms planted on the wall at chest level.
2. Move your affected leg backwards but make sure that you keep it straight without bending the knee.
3. Return your leg to the starting position.
4. You can repeat the moves of kicking back the leg up to 12 or 15 times.

Physical Therapy Exercises For Hamstring Strain

Some exercises that you can do while suffering from a pulled hamstring or a torn hamstring can also be done by someone suffering from a hamstring strain. Therefore, the exercises are quite similar. Some physical therapy exercises for hamstring strain include calf stretch, hamstring wall stretch, heel to toe walk, and more.

Physical Therapy Hamstring Exercises In Bed

If you are struggling to be on your feet, you can always do exercises in bed. Interestingly, there are different physical therapy exercises;

Hamstring Curl

This exercise is good for people suffering from a painfully pulled hamstring. The interesting thing about this exercise is that you do it while sleeping. You can easily do it while sleeping. Just follow the instructions below;

1. Firstly lie on the floor or bed facing down and place a pillow under your torso.
2. Then bend the knee of the affected leg and lift your leg towards your butt. Start slowly so that you don’t worsen the pain. You can increase resistance if the exercise is not causing a lot of pain.
3. Move your leg back to the floor and then continue moving it you can down for about 10 to 15 reps.

In addition to the above, other hamstring physical therapy exercises that you can do in bed include straight leg raise and hamstring wall stretch.

Hamstring Exercises Physical Therapy Geriatric

Geriatric physical therapy is meant to improve fitness, reduce pain, improve balance and mobility. In addition to that, the exercises are good for preventing injuries. As such, it is highly done by seniors. However, those with hamstring issues can do geriatric physical therapy exercise.  Below are some physical therapy geriatric hamstring exercises;

Single Leg Balance

This exercise is good for strengthening your hamstring. As you recover, you may need to do some exercises that will strengthen your leg muscles. And this is one of the amazing exercises that can help you to strengthen those muscles. Follow the steps below to do the exercise;

1. Stand on flat ground and then stretch your arms sideways to form a ‘T.’ Note that if you cannot stand on your own with one foot you can always use a chair or wall to balance yourself.
2. Stand with one leg that is affected. And lift your good leg off the ground and bend it at the knee point.
3. Balance on that affected leg for 20 to 30 seconds. And then rest for 10 seconds with all your feet on the floor.
4. Repeat the moves 10 times or more.

Physical Therapy Exercises For Tendonitis Hamstring

A tendonitis hamstring is whereby the hamstring tendons are injured. Such injury makes your knees painful, and you might walk with difficulties. This is because the hamstring tendons connect the knee, shin-bone and pelvis to the hamstring muscles. Sitting and being inactive for a long time does not do any favour if you are suffering from tendonitis hamstring. Therefore, you need to exercise to recover faster. Check the following exercises if  you  are suffering from tendonitis hamstring;

Standing Hamstring Stretch

1. Start by standing upright and make sure that your spine is straight.
2. Then lift the affected leg and place it on a chair. Hold onto a sturdy object to balance yourself.
3. Bend the knee of the good leg until you feel the injured leg being stretched. Pause in that position for 20 seconds.
4. Repeat for 5  to 8 reps.

Besides doing the above exercise, the other exercises that can be helpful include walking, swimming, hurdler hamstring stretching, sitting hamstring stretch.

Physical Therapy Quad Hamstring Exercises

For your quad muscles, there are various exercises that you can do. You can as well do stretch and strengthening exercises. Below are some exercises that are good for your quad muscles;

Lying Quad Stretching

This is a stretch exercise that is good for improving your quad hamstring.it is simply for people with quad and hamstring injury. This is how you do the exercise;

1. Start by lying on the edge of the bed on your back.
2. Then bend one leg and plant the foot on the bed.
3. Let the other leg hang on the edge of the bed. Pull the hanging leg backwards. Hold onto that position for 15 seconds to 20 seconds.
4. Then exercise the other leg.

In addition to the above, other exercises that you can don include quad set, straight leg raise, and many others. These exercises are good for improving quad strength and flexibility.

Proximal Hamstring Tendinosis Physical Therapy Exercises

Proximal hamstring tendinosis is caused by various factors such as distance running, prolonged sitting, hamstring injury, and more. As such, treating it requires a combination of different techniques. Physical therapy exercises are some of the techniques that can be done.

Below are different proximal hamstring tendinosis physical therapy exercises;

1. Nordic hamstring curl
2. Bridge walk outs
3. Swiss ball hamstring curl
4. Bridge holds
5. Trunk extensions

Hamstring Exercises In Chair Physical Therapy Geriatric

There are various geriatric physical therapy exercises that you can do while using a chair. And those exercises can improve your mobility and balance. Below are some geriatric exercises to do while seated or balanced on a chair;

1. Seated clamshells
2. Seated knee extension
3. Clock reach
4. Toe lift
5. Seated pillow squeezes

Hamstring Exercises Physical Therapy Supine

Being in a supine position means that you are lying on your back with your face and torso facing upwards. There are various exercises that you can do in that position. And some of the exercises have been discussed in the above paragraphs;

1. Towel hamstring stretch
2. Wall hamstring stretch
3. Lying quad stretching

Final Thoughts

There are indeed a lot of therapy exercises such as group therapy addiction exercises, forearm physical therapy exercises, and more. Interestingly, there are also a  lot of hamstring physical therapy exercises that you can do to work on your hamstring recovery.

Sitting too long or spending more time in bed without exercising can negatively affect your recovery process. You can do stretch and strength exercises according to your body ability. This means that if you feel like the exercise is causing more pain, you can pause and do another exercise. But if you can do the stretch and strength exercises perfectly, you can always do exercises that are a bit more intense.

Which other hamstring physical therapy exercises would you recommend? Share your suggestions below.