Assess & Address: Hamstring Strain by Whitney Lowe

Pathology Assessment & Evaluation Treatment Massage Techniques

Massage techniques
Massage plays an important role in the management of hamstring strain. Because muscle tension is a primary factor in hamstring strain, massage will be particularly helpful for addressing chronic tension as a preventive measure and after the injury.

The primary techniques for reducing muscle tension are basic effleurage, compression-broadening techniques, and sweeping cross-fiber methods. Because the primary goal of these treatment methods is to reduce excess muscular tension, it is important to perform these techniques within the client’s comfort zone.

More specific attention can be applied to reducing muscle tension with deep, longitudinal stripping techniques. Because these techniques are usually applied with more pressure (close to the client’s pain tolerance), be mindful of the region of tissue damage where the strain has occurred, and avoid putting too much pressure on this area.

In addition to reducing tension on the affected muscle, deep transverse friction applied to the site of the muscle injury is used to help build a healthy and functional scar. If the muscle is kept immobile during the healing process, scar tissue will bind adjacent muscle fibers and reduce muscle flexibility, increasing risk of further injury due to adhesions in the muscle fibers. Therefore, deep transverse friction is usually performed perpendicular to the fiber direction in order to create the greatest degree of mobility in the developing scar tissue.

In the later stages of rehabilitation, various forms of massage with active engagement are a beneficial adjunct. These methods enhance functional restoration of the hamstring group by emphasizing soft-tissue manipulation during movement, which reduces muscle tension and minimizes scar-tissue binding. Both broadening strokes and lengthening strokes are used for this purpose. Additional muscular effort may be used to enhance the effectiveness of pressure during various strokes, including resistance bands, weights or manual resistance by the practitioner.

In addition to massage approaches, stretching is an integral aspect of addressing hamstring strain. Not only is stretching helpful for reducing muscle tightness, it may also decrease adverse neural tension in the sciatic nerve. Stretching may be performed a variety of ways, from long-held static stretching to short-duration methods, such as those used in active isolated-stretching techniques.

Hamstring strain is a common occurrence and a frequent reason that people seek the help of a massage therapist. Various other problems may have similar symptoms, so it is important to perform an accurate assessment to provide the most effective treatment.

Because hamstring strain is frequently not a serious injury requiring immediate medical intervention, clients are likely to directly consult a massage therapist for help with the condition, without seeing a physician or other health-care provider. Consequently, it is essential that the massage therapist understand the nature of this common pathology and the most appropriate strategies for resolving it.