Hamstring Tendonitis – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

The hamstring is one of the most exercised muscles in the leg. As you could guess, all of this activity puts the muscle at higher risk for injury. One of the common ailments associated with this frequent use is tendonitis.

Tendonitis is an inflammation in one of the many tendons in the body, including the legs. To avoid getting muscle cramps or inflammations like tendonitis, always start sports and exercise activities with a warm up and stretches.

Causes
Injury, stress, and overuse may cause inflammation of the tendon at the back of the thigh. Some activities that may contribute to a swollen tendon are running uphill or on uneven surfaces; sports with a great deal of legwork, such as tennis and badminton; lifting heavy objects, especially those that are heavier than the body weight; improper leg stretching and not stretching muscles and tendons at all. These activities combined with improper body ergonomics are a recipe for trouble at some point. As we age, not only the bone tissues become susceptible to tears and cracks, but the tendons as well.

Symptoms
With tendonitis, you are likely to experience pain in the affected area, stiffness of the muscle, tenderness of the torn tendon, swelling of the affected part, redness, and a hot feeling on the affected part of the leg or throughout the entire leg.

Treatments
With a minor injury, it is possible to apply a popular first aid routine, R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevate). Once you experience hamstring tendonitis, let the affected leg rest for a couple of hours. Apply an ice pack around the hurt area to reduce swelling and to relax the stiff muscles. Wrap with a bandage for compression and elevate the leg. Major tendon injuries need medical attention as they may require surgery to put the torn tendons back together.