Post-Marathon Hamstring Injury? Heal Faster with Strength Exercises and Return to Running ASAP

Maybe you just crushed your best race EVER!

Or got crushed by your worse race ever...

But the great equalizer is an unwanted, unexpected hamstring injury that threatens to make your post-race recovery even longer.

You know you're in trouble and need help when:

• you have pain behind your knee near the bottom of your hamstring

• OR maybe soreness and tightness higher up the back of your thigh, nearly beneath your glute

And you do all the things the internet tells you to do BUT...

• stretching helps at first but definitely doesn't fix the problem (and sometimes makes it worse)

• you find that you have persistent pain and tightness that's driving you mad

• you try to rest it but it feels worst after sitting for long periods of time but you notice it slowly gets better as you move around

• and foam rolling and massage gun-ing provide only momentary relief.

If this is YOU...

You're not crazy.

You're not lazy.

You just need the right tools.

So as a Doctor of Physical Therapy and runner for over 15 years, let's get you started on the RIGHT ones that will help eliminate your pain, help you heal faster so you can get back to running sooner.

Let's go.

Healing Hamstring Strength Exercises for Marathoners

Circuits: Sets below // LIGHT & medium weights

Warm Up/ Eliminate Pain Circuit

Active Straight Leg Lowers to Foam Roller

• 2 x10 Reps ea side

Wall Bridge with Hamstring Pull Downs

• 3 X 20-30 sec hold

• easier arms by side // harder arms OH

Strength Circuit

Single Leg Bridge with weight in same side hand

• 2-3 sets x12 reps // medium weight

RDL with Foot on Wall

• 3-4 sets x 6-8 Reps // HEAVY weight

How to Recovery from Hamstring Running Injuries for Post-Race Marathoners

ACTIVE STRAIGHT LEG LOWER TO FOAM ROLLER

• I know, it's almost too simple to work. But hang with me...

• THE REASON THIS WORKS: we talk about it more below in the wrapping up section, but did you know when you straighten your leg, your quad contracts, and your hamstring MUST chill out, relax, and lengthen? If it didn't, your knee literally would NOT straighten.

• This exercise takes advantage of that, regardless of how simple it looks. By actively straightening your knee, you DEMAND that your hamstring lengthens and relaxes. And then, by lowering your leg to the floor and back up to the ceiling, you encourage the entire hamstring muscle to lengthen and relax through it's entire range.

• What this means: this exercise is good for gently engaging your hamstring, restoring mobility if you feel tight, and helping to eliminate pain regardless of where your soreness and discomfort is.

WALL BRIDGE with HAMSTRING PULL DOWNS

• You should know I do this one daily. (ok, at least I should)

• THE SECRET: when runners have hamstring injuries, the FIRST thing they want to do is RDLs and single leg bridges. But if your hamstring is cranky, you're going to quickly hate your life. That's why you do a more gentle isometric exercise like this one that requires the hamstrings to contract, but not in a painful "I think I broke myself" way.

• Yes, having your feet on the wall and your butt off the floor is a MUST. Because did you know your hamstrings start at your ischial tuberosities (sit bones) and end below your knee? They travel a loooong way.

• So by lifting your bum off the floor, your proximal (or beginning) hamstrings are engaged and by pulling your feet down the wall your distal (or ending) hamstrings are also contracting. This invites your entire hamstring to contract in a safe, healing, non-painful manner that can help you manage symptoms like tightness and soreness better than any stretch.

SINGLE LEG BRIDGE with weight in same side hand

• What? the weight is in my hand?

• PRO TIP: Yes. Because it's not always about loading up the hamstring directly (that's the next exercise). Sometimes it's about giving the hamstring a challenge against gravity and rotation.

• Confused about what I'm talking about? Feel it. Do your single leg bridge of choice. If your hamstring is still really tender, then obviously do it with your foot on the floor. If you can handle more of a challenge, pop that foot on a step or foot stool.

• Then, perform your single leg bridge with a HEAVY weight overhead in the hand OPPOSITE the leg doing the hard work. Notice how that feels. Now switch it, placing the heavy weight in the SAME SIDE hand as the leg that's working. Can you feel how your body now has to fight to stay upright and not rotate? This is how we make your hamstring injury proofed and able to handle faster speeds without an inevitable strain because of faster and rotational forces.

RDL with FOOT ON WALL

• An oldie but a goodie. And I'm not even sorry about it.

• THE SECRET: there is no secret. I love this version of an RDL and I've talked about it so much you could probably explain in your sleep.

• WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: when your hamstring is ready, you can't be afraid to go heavy. Notice the reps range I've given you. I want you working an RPE of 7-9. Meaning, if you use LOWER REPS, you need HEAVY weights. If you use higher reps, you're still going to use heavy weights, but it will be lighter compared to the lower reps one.

• Again..,confused? Practice. Feel it. This is NOT the time to be worried about being so sore you can't run. Because if you don't make your hamstrings strong enough, you're going to be doing a lot of NOT running because of constant, repeat running injuries.

WRAPPING UP

What you NEED TO KNOW about hamstring injuries that the internet won't tell you:

Your hamstrings are the secret, under appreciated hero of your running stride.

When you think about getting stronger so you can run faster and PR more often, you probably think of quads and glutes.

And you're not wrong BUT...

Your hamstrings are the secret VIP holding the team together.

Yes, your quads are the workhorse that help propel you forward, but even they have a support team. (which is your hamstrings ;) )

What you need to know:

Your quad contracts (concentrically) as you stride forward.

But did you know that while your quad is busy helping you travel forward, your hamstrings are also contracting, helping to control that motion?

Your hamstrings are actively lengthening in what is called an eccentric contraction.

In short: Your hamstrings are the ying to your quad's yang.

The quad gets short; the hamstring gets long.

And without the two of these muscles giving and taking with EVERY stride, your quads would fatigue insanely fast.

THIS IS WHY if you want to get faster, you not only have to build strong quads, but you also need to build stronger hamstrings.

Because strong hamstrings mean fatigue-proofed quads, faster turnover, and no-more pesky hamstring strains or pulls during speed workouts.

If you're looking for more running-specific strength exercises that prevent new and repeat running injuries from sabotaging your training cycle and make you a stronger, better, faster runner so you can chase down your PR goals, check out my FREE Strength Guide for Runners below!

Hand Over My Copy Now!

Until next time...

Dare to Train Differently,

Marie Whitt, PT, DPT //@dr.whitt.fit