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A high hamstring injury can be a hard injury to get over and is a literal pain in the butt. What makes it even more challenging to recover from, is there are many things that mimic a high hamstring strain that aren't the hamstring at all.
Quick Anatomy Lesson:
Your hamstrings originate from your sit bone, ischial tuberosity, and insert on either your tibia or fibula. Your hamstrings are actually 3 muscles: semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris (named from inner to outermost aspect of the thigh).
What’s the tissue with the issue?
A high hamstring strain, tendinitis, or tendinopathy is referring to damage and irritation at the sit bone where all 3 originate. Many other muscles also attach to your sit bone, like your inner thigh muscles (adductor magnus) and hip rotators (inferior gemellus and quadratus femoris).
To make things even more confusing… is that the bottom of the glute pain could be coming from your back or from the nerves of your leg as well.
Because of all the structures that cause pain at the bottom of your glute, it’s probably wise that you seek out an evaluation from a physical therapist or orthopedic physician to properly diagnose what is causing your pain.
It’s my hamstring….now what?
Answer these questions before you proceed: Did I hear a pop that resulted in this pain? Did I bruise or have swelling present after injuring it?
An audible pop, visible bruising or swelling are indicators of a possible greater injury that would warrant a clinical examination by a physical therapist or orthopedic physician.
If you answered no to both those questions and you know it’s your hamstring, then let’s strengthen it! Below are some exercises that increase in difficulty as you descend.
Disclaimer: Always consult with a licensed physical therapist or physician before beginning any exercise program. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. Consult with your licensed healthcare professional to design an appropriate exercise prescription. If you experience any pain or difficulty with these exercises, stop and consult your healthcare provider.
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