Hamstring Injuries and Nordic Hamstring Curls

This post is intended for patients, here is a similar version for therapists with big words added.

Researchers have found that after the pain of a hamstring injury (HSI) is gone that does not mean all is ok:

  • strength is slow to return
  • muscle fascicles ( a bunch of fibers) are shortened
  • reinjury rates are very high

My approach-is to combine soft tissue work and exercises (see below)

Soft tissue work Active Release Techniques (ART) soft tissue therapy is effective in increasing hamstring flexibility (see below). It probably does this through a neurophysiological effect.  Does it play a role in lengthening the shortened hamsring muscle fascicles after a HSI? I doubt it but maybe.  

Eccentric exercise- There is strong evidence that eccentric exercises can prevent hamstring re-injury.  They are called Nordic Curls:

ART research on hamstring flexibility

Kage-  Immediate effect of ART vs Mulligan Bent Leg Raise (MBLR) in subjects with hamstring tightness: RCT 2013

“A single session of ART is better as compared to MBLR technique to improve hamstring flexibility and range of motion.”

Shah, S + Kage, V.-  Comparative Effectiveness of ART and Rolfing on hamstring tightness in normal subjects. RCT  

 “ART showed better improvement as compared to Rolfing in terms of Popliteal angle.”

George, JW-  The effects of ART on hamstring flexibility  2006

“This study demonstrated that a single ART treatment increased hamstring flexibility in a group of healthy, active male participants.“

You may also like:

High Hamstring Strain: Best Low Compression Exercises

Best Glute Medius Exercises for Runners

Research Based Hamstring Therapy – FIT Institute

The New Age of Golf Training is Creating Stronger and More Athletic Golfers Than Ever Before – STACK

Performance Therapy: Greg Rutherford’s StoryAthletics Weekly

The ART of Active Release Techniques Telegraph

How is ART different from Sports Massage  220 Triathlon

Transform Performance  Vigour Magazine

Golf Performance Therapy Titleist Performance Institute

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Treating professional athletes and the general public since 1997.