Risk factors in hamstring injuries part 2

In Today's Blog I will write about the modifiable risk factors  in hamstring injuries, that is factors you can do something about, such as go and see your physiotherapist to help you reduce these risks to prevent injury or to reduce the risk of re-injury.

1. Fatigue - It has been shown that hamstring injuries often occur at the end of a game of end of a period of a match suggesting that fatigue plays a part in them. As fatigue causes decreased strength and motor control and a change in running mechanics such as pelvic tilt this puts an increased stain on your hamstrings and can cause injury.
2. Shorter hamstring length - A shorter hamstring leads to an even shorter optimal length of hamstring ( Part where it is strongest) where the tension of the hammy is at its highest, therefore the hamstring is having to work a lot harder though its whole range leading to an increased risk of injury.
3. Strength Imbalances - Weakness of one leg to the other increases the risk of hamstring injury. An imbalance of quadriceps to hamstrings on a leg a also causes an increased risk of injury, so when training do not forget to work your hammys as much as you work your quads.
4. Flexibility - With decreased flexibility causes and increased risk of hamstring injury. An athletes ability to perform a straight leg raise to 90 degrees  is a good indicator of hamstring injury risk. Also the tightness of you hip flexors can play a part in hamstring injury risk the tighter they are the less pelvic tilt you have when running placing increased strain on your hammys.
5. Core Stability - It has been shown that athletes with poor "Core stability" have an increased risk of hamstring injuries. Core stability is a very hard term to define but ti basically means the group of muscles attached to your spine and pelvis working in balance and being strong. So weak of fatigued core stability muscles leads to increased pelvic dysfunction and increased risk of injury.
6. Neural tension - This is mainly from your sciatic nerve being tight can cause hamstring problems. 

All of these factor can be helped by a sports specialist charted physiotherapist. Go and see one and they can help prevent and reduce your risk of hamstring injury.