A hamstring injury is a strain or tear to the tendons or large muscles at the back of the thigh. The hamstrings are tendons (strong bands of tissue) at the back of the thighs that attach the large thigh muscle to the bone. A hamstring injury can occur if any of the tendons or muscles are stretched beyond their limit.
They often occur during sudden, explosive movements, such as sprinting, lunging or jumping.
It's a common injury in athletes and can occur in different severities.
The 3 grades of hamstring injury are:
The length of time it takes to recover from a hamstring strain or tear will depend on how severe the injury is.
A minor muscle pull or strain (grade 1) may take a few days to heal, whereas it could take weeks or months to recover from a muscle tear (grade 2 or 3).