Hamstring Injury
That sudden grab in the back of the thigh mid-sprint is a familiar story - and so is the re-injury that follows a rushed comeback. We rehab hamstrings on measurement, not guesswork.
Your care, at a glance
The questions worth asking any clinic — answered up front.
Who you'll see
All our physios rehab hamstrings; recurrent or complicated strains can be booked directly with Dr Steve Saunders, who spent seven years managing soft-tissue injury in the AFL and built KangaTech to solve exactly this problem.
How we assess it
Injury history and mechanism, palpation and strength testing, then objective KangaTech measurement of hamstring strength, endurance and left-to-right symmetry — plus the hip and trunk muscles that share the load.
How we treat it
Early protected loading, progressive strengthening with emphasis on exercises that load the hamstring while it lengthens, then a graded running progression from volume to full-speed sprinting.
When you progress
- Strength and symmetry re-tested on KangaTech against your baseline
- Pain-free completion of a graded running and sprinting progression
- Strength restored in lengthened positions, not just mid-range
- Training tolerance at match intensity before return to play
The evidence behind this approach
Rehabilitation emphasising lengthened-state loading returned Swedish elite footballers to play in roughly half the time of conventional protocols (Askling et al., BJSM 2013), and a meta-analysis of 8,459 athletes associated Nordic-style eccentric programmes with about half the rate of hamstring injury (van Dyk et al., BJSM 2019). Our director's elite-sport and research background is documented on our research page.
Why it happens
Most hamstring strains happen during high-speed running, when the muscle is working hard while lengthening late in the sprinting stride. Kicking, sudden acceleration and overstretching are other common mechanisms, which is why hamstrings feature so heavily on injury lists in football codes and athletics - and why they also catch out everyday runners and social sportspeople.
The biggest risk factor for a hamstring injury is a previous one. Strength deficits, fatigue and sudden spikes in training load all add to the risk, which is why rehab that only chases symptom relief so often ends in a repeat.
How we assess it
We assess the injury itself - location, severity and mechanism - because these shape both your timeframe and your program. Then we put numbers on it. Using KangaTech, the isolated muscle testing system our founder Steve Saunders pioneered at North Melbourne Football Club, we measure your hamstring strength, endurance and left-to-right symmetry, along with the hip and trunk muscles that share the load.
Steve's PhD research in sports injury prevention underpins how we profile risk: objective data first, so we know exactly what needs to change and can prove when it has.
How we treat it
Rehab starts early, protecting the injury while keeping you moving, then builds through progressive strengthening with particular emphasis on exercises that load the hamstring while it lengthens. From there we restore running step by step - volume first, then speed - because sprinting is the true test of a hamstring.
Throughout, we re-test on KangaTech so each progression is based on measured capacity rather than how the leg feels on a good day.
Reducing the risk of re-injury
The end of pain is not the end of rehab - returning in the first pain-free week is how hamstrings become recurring problems. We keep building until your strength, symmetry and running tolerance meet objective targets, then help you maintain them through the season.
For athletes, we can also profile the rest of your lower limb with a KangaTech assessment to flag other risks before they become injuries.
Getting back to what you love
Whether you strained it in a Saturday league sprint, chasing a toddler or at athletics training, the process is the same one used in elite football: measure, load, re-measure, return.
Book online through HotDoc at our Adelaide CBD or Edwardstown clinic - no referral needed, with HICAPS for on-the-spot private health claims.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a hamstring strain take to heal?
It depends on the severity and location of the strain. Minor strains may settle within a few weeks, while more significant tears take considerably longer. Your assessment gives us a realistic timeframe, and re-testing tells us when you are genuinely ready.
Why do hamstring injuries keep coming back?
Usually because rehab stops when pain does. Strength, endurance and sprint tolerance often have not fully returned at that point, and a previous injury is the biggest risk factor for the next one. Objective testing closes that gap.
What is KangaTech?
A muscle testing system pioneered by our founder Steve Saunders at North Melbourne Football Club, now used in professional sport worldwide. It isolates and measures the strength of specific muscle groups so we can identify deficits and track recovery with real numbers.
Can I keep training with a hamstring injury?
Often yes, in a modified way. We work out what you can safely keep doing - bike, upper body, controlled loading - so you stay fit while the hamstring rebuilds.