Hamstring Strain?

Question

Dear TAI Experts:

I have always had tight hamstrings, but now I think I may have strained the tendon. I am a tennis player and during my follow through it hurt so bad I had to quit. The pain is in the back of my knee and runs slightly into the top of my calf. It quit hurting, miraculously, later in the day. Thought I was okay but no tennis. Hurt it again this morning by pushing that leg down on a pitchfork! Could this be hamstring strain or tendonitis?

Answer

Without doing a thorough examination I am not able to speculate on your specific condition. However, I can give you some general information to guide you. A strain occurs when muscle fibers composing a muscle are stretched or torn, while tendonitis represents an inflammation of a tendon (connection between a muscle and a bone), usually caused by overuse or faulty mechanics of movement. Damage to one of several muscles can cause pain in the back of the knee, including your larger hamstrings and the calf muscle. There are other structures related to the knee that can be strained and cause knee pain, as well as problems related to the low back. If your symptoms persist I would recommend that you consult a physical therapist who will perform an examination of your leg and back and design a plan of action to address your specific needs.

Victor Prati, PT, DPT