A step-by-step rehab plan for a low-grade hamstring strain: start with bike cardio and foam rolling, skip stretching. Progress to light eccentric exercises, then single-leg RDLs, then compound movements with slow tempos. Foam roll throughout and rest plenty.
Caught a low-level hamstring strain about a week ago. First week, all I did was light cardio on a bike and foam rolling. You don't wanna stretch. That's too early. Next, we work in light eccentrics. So slowly extending the negative phase of the motion to strengthen the hamstring. This must be an easy exercise for you. So as you see, most of the stuff is single joint, We don't really work compound movements with more joints than one till the very end. We're just trying to create stability and strength in the muscle. This one right here is really, really, really dicey. Make sure that your body is pretty healed before you start doing it. The single leg RDL puts a lot of strain on the lengthening and stretching of the hamstring itself. If you can do it, awesome. And then lastly, the compound movement, making sure that you're pushing enough pressure from each side. You wanna go with a lighter weight and make sure you elongate your tempo. So you're focusing on pausing and then coming up slow. If you can do that, you will start to strengthen the hamstring. I felt really, really, really good after this exercise. Then lastly, just like always, tissue work, foam roll, foam roll, foam roll, no stretching yet. Still just tissue work, foam roll, and lots of rest.
Touch Your Toes in 6 Minutes | Release Muscular Guarding for Better Flexibility
