hamstring tendons

Injury Clinic
1

Hey guys.

I have had pain in my upper left ham tendon for a long time now, however the pain has now spread to the ham tendon at the back of the knee.

Basically the back of my left leg from my lower glute to the top of my calf feels restricted, tight and painfull.

As much as I’d like to stretch the whole thing, stretching seems to make it worse.

I’d like to add that when I massage my piriformis using a tennis ball it is quite tender.

Can anyone identify what is causing my tendon pain?

Many thanks

2

Im no physio, but I would get checked out by a chiropractor or physio as it sounds like your hammy is under a mechanical stress before it has even began working (ie running on it) which may be due to some pelvic dysfunction and alignment isssues. Often easily sorted but needs diagnosis and would be worth the $ to get it looked at. The periformis and other glute tightness awould also be related and you probs find that you QL (muscle in lower back attaching to top of pelvis is also tight.

My tuppence worth anyway!

3

Thanks for your reply.
I would guess myself that its either a mechanical thing or nerve related. I went to a chiropracter before for a few sessions but it did nothing for me, I did pick up on some of the stuff he was doing though and sometimes re-align my pelvis myself or get someone else to help me.
I don’t think my QL is tight, or at least I’m not aware of it anyway, although it feels quite tender at times when I foam roll it.
By the way would it affect my other ham too if my pelvis is the prob? As i’ve never had any trouble with my right leg.
Thanks again

4

Sounds like a disc protrusion pushing on your sciatic nerve.

Check the strength of the big toe flexors, if it is nerve related your left big toe flexors should be much weaker. If it is so, get an MRI of your lumbar spine to satisfy the curiosity on what disc/s have the protrusions. The rehab protocol doesn’t change if it is, for istance, L3/L4 or L5/S1 or both.

5

Wow, yes it is much weaker, that’s very interesting. How should I go about fixing the disc protrusion? As i’ve never had any back pain. Should I be doing mobility work for the spine?
Thanks a million!

6

I’ve had that tightness before. try some pnf stretches, specifically around the hip/hip flexor region. Don’t stretch the actual hamstring… because that isn’t the problem. The problem is the hips and restoring the muscles to their original length. PNF works great. I didn’t receive any results from static stretching but PNF is a world of difference.

Let me try to explain it:

-Get down on one knee in a typical lunge position
-Make sure the knee on the ground is the bad leg
-Lean forward stretching the hip flexor.
-Flex the hip flexor by trying to pull the bad knee forward for 5 seconds(you won’t actually be moving, you’ll be in the same position… just flexing the muscle)
-Then stretch the hip flexor for 10 seconds.
-Repeat.

You’ll notice a huge increase in ROM

7

Wow, yes it is much weaker, that’s very interesting. How should I go about fixing the disc protrusion?

It will fix itself VERY slowly if you don’t make it worse by doing certain movements (including some spine mobility exercises).

I would suggest you to go and get a rehab program from a CHEK certified practitioner (yes, one of the “chekies”).

As i’ve never had any back pain. Should I be doing mobility work for the spine?

No!