Case Study: Grade II Hamstring Strain in the Active Adult

Background: The injury occurred on a Friday evening while refereeing a hockey game. Pt noticed a cramp in his right calve and immediately fell to the ground. Pt does not recall how he landed, but when he tried to stand up, he could not put any weight onto L leg. Reports pain from the bottom of the knee to the base of his glutes.

Goals for PT: Needs to be able to hike 4-5 miles, ride a bicycle and go swimming/snorkeling with family.

Limitations: Leaves for vacation in exactly 3 weeks with his family.

Past Medical History: No history of hamstring strains in the past, however does report multiple unrelated injures.

We were able to see him within 2 days from his initial phone call and immediately started implementing strategies to decrease sensitivity and “tightness” throughout his hamstring. He was seen a total of 6 sessions within the 3-week timeframe but was given very specific number of exercises and intensities to perform every day. On his last session, he was asked where he feels he is at in his recovery. He reported:

“I feel like I’m about 90% back to normal…I think the last 10% is a little bit of that lingering tightness and the confidence that I can do anything I want. I had no expectation I would be able to be walking and moving around this much pain free.”

Here is the gameplan that was implemented to allow him to go on his trip and not be held back by an injury.