Sidelined by a Strained Hamstring? Get Back in the Game with Shockwave Therapy

A hamstring strain happens when the muscles in the back of your thigh stretch too far or tear. It’s usually painful, making running, walking, and even sitting uncomfortable — and it can keep you sidelined for a while.

A strained hamstring is the most common non-contact injury, accounting for 37% of muscle traumas in professional sports.

Want to heal faster from a strained hamstring? Visit Dr. Kevin O’Donnell at Revitalize Regenerative Orthopedics LLC, conveniently located in the Denver metropolitan area, to try shockwave therapy and other holistic solutions to recover more quickly.

Symptoms of a strained hamstring

How do you know if you have a strained hamstring? Here are some common symptoms:

• Hamstring tightness
• Pain in the back of your thigh
• Sudden, sharp pain
• Popping or tearing sensation
• Tenderness
• Swelling during the first few hours post-injury
• Bruising or discoloration on the back of your leg
• Hamstring muscle weakness
• Inability to bear weight on the injured leg

These symptoms may be mild to severe. If you’re an athlete, treatment at Revitalize Regenerative Orthopedics LLC can speed up your recovery to get you back out on the court, rink, or field faster.

How shockwave therapy helps with hamstring strains

Shockwave therapy uses extracorporeal shock waves (high-energy acoustic waves) to break up scarring and enhance tissue repair, penetrating targeted tissues to stimulate the body’s natural healing process. It’s a painless procedure that may reduce the need for pain medication, surgery, or other invasive procedures.

Focused shockwave therapy transmits energy waves into a narrow, focused pattern, while radial shockwave therapy produces more diffuse, radial wave patterns. These treatments improve musculoskeletal functioning by:

• Enhancing circulation
• Lessening inflammation
• Promoting new cell growth
• Increasing the formation of new blood vessels
• Speeding up healing

Shockwave therapy is a simple process that may last about 15-30 minutes. Your specialist uses a handheld device to emit acoustic waves into injured tissues. It often feels like a warming sensation or fast pulses. Afterward, you can resume your usual routine, but you likely need multiple treatment sessions (often at least three) to achieve a superior result. 

Other holistic treatments that speed up healing

In addition to attending shockwave therapy treatment sessions at Revitalize Regenerative Orthopedics LLC, it’s important to tend to your injury at home. Use ice packs, ease up on training that causes pain, undergo physical therapy, try compression, or periodically elevate your injured leg. Avoid high-intensity exercises until your hamstring completely heals. 

Our practice also offers platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, stem cell therapy, prolotherapy, and other regenerative medicine solutions.  You may be a candidate for multiple treatments. 

Reducing the risk of hamstring injuries

While you can’t always avoid a hamstring strain, taking certain precautions dramatically reduces the risk of pulling a muscle. Warm up before working out, stretch often, and complete strengthening and endurance exercises regularly. Stay in shape with sport-specific training, cross-train, and avoid overtraining. Let your body rest, sleep enough, and eat nutritious foods.

Get back in the game after a strained hamstring with shockwave therapy at Revitalize Regenerative Orthopedics LLC. Contact us today by phone or request an appointment online.