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Hamstring strain recovery Grades, healing time, rehab exercises and a safe return to sport
Hamstring strain recovery depends on the grade. A mild grade 1 strain usually takes one to three weeks, a moderate grade 2 strain about three to eight weeks, and a severe grade 3 tear several months, sometimes with surgery if the tendon pulls off the bone. Early on, protect the leg without resting it completely, then rebuild strength with bridges, hamstring curls and eccentric exercises such as Nordic curls. Return to sprinting only once strength is close to the other leg and running at full speed is pain-free, because hamstring strains often come back when sport resumes too soon.
A hamstring strain, or pulled hamstring, is a tear in one of the three muscles at the back of the thigh. It usually happens during sprinting, kicking or a sudden stretch, often with a sharp pain or a pop at the back of the thigh. It is one of the most common sports injuries and also one of the most likely to happen again. This guide covers hamstring strain recovery, from the first day to full-speed running. For other sports injuries, see our guide to sports injury recovery.
Hamstring strain grades and healing time
- Grade 1 (mild): tightness and mild pain, walking is normal. About one to three weeks.
- Grade 2 (moderate): a partial tear with clear pain, weakness, a limp and often bruising. About three to eight weeks.
- Grade 3 (severe): a complete tear, sometimes with the tendon pulled off the bone near the buttock. Months of rehab, and some need surgery.
See a doctor promptly for a loud pop with severe pain near the buttock, a large bruise, a gap you can feel, or trouble walking. Our injury recovery timeline explains how muscle heals in stages.
The first days
Protect the leg but keep it moving. Walk within comfort, shorten your stride, and avoid stretching hard into pain or running. Cold packs for 15 to 20 minutes can ease pain and swelling, and gentle compression helps. Cold therapy, including the targeted cold air in the fourth video, can calm soreness so exercise is easier, though it does not speed healing on its own; our guide to cryotherapy benefits explains what cold can and cannot do.
Hamstring strain recovery exercises
A physical therapist progresses these as pain allows. The videos show several of them:
Early (pain-free range)
- Isometric holds: lying on your back with the knee bent, press the heel into the floor for 5 to 10 seconds
- Bridges: lift the hips with both feet on the floor, like the patient in the third video, then progress to one leg
- Gentle active stretching to a mild pull only
Middle (building strength)
- Hamstring curls with a band or on a ball
- Single-leg deadlifts with light weight
- Split squats and step-ups, as in the second video, for the whole leg
Late (strength at length and speed)
- Nordic curls: kneeling with the ankles held, lower the body forward slowly, as in the second video. This eccentric exercise has the strongest evidence for lowering the risk of another strain.
- Running progression: jogging, then strides at 60, 80 and 90 percent of top speed, then sprints and sport drills
Hands-on care, like the soft tissue work in the third video, can ease tightness along the way; see our massage therapy page.
Returning to sport and preventing another strain
Return when you can run at full speed, change direction and kick without pain, and your hamstring strength is close to the other side. Rushing back is the main reason hamstring strains recur. Keep doing Nordic curls once or twice a week in season, warm up properly, and build sprinting volume gradually; see sports injury prevention. Our sports medicine team can guide the return-to-play steps, and our knee pain page covers hamstring injuries that cause pain behind the knee.
More videos on hamstring strain recovery
More clips from our YouTube channel @precisioncaremedical showing strength work, hands-on care and cold therapy after a pulled hamstring.
Related care at Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance
Hamstring rehab near you
For hamstring rehab and physical therapy in Brooklyn, physical therapists Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS and Maggie (Yi) Zhang, DPT, with physical therapist assistants Dennis Furman, PTA and Leila Nahmoud, PTA see patients at our Brooklyn physical therapy office on Shell Rd, close to Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend and Marine Park. Ashley Marcus, MD examines sports injuries at the same Brooklyn office. Interested in cryotherapy in Brooklyn or on Staten Island? Call before you book so we can confirm which office offers sessions on the day you want.
For physical therapy on Staten Island, physical therapists Victoria Lynn Kain, DPT and Nicholas “Nick” Ursini, DPT work at our Staten Island physical therapy office on Richmond Rd, convenient to Todt Hill, Dongan Hills and New Dorp, where Jake Stephen, DO also sees patients. In Manhattan, Yuri Gordin, MD sees patients at the Precision Care Spine & Pain Center in Midtown Manhattan, an easy trip from the Financial District, the Upper West Side and Spanish Harlem, for an exam and treatment plan; physical therapy is not offered at the Manhattan office. Request an appointment or call the office closest to you.
Questions patients ask
How long does hamstring strain recovery take?
A mild grade 1 strain usually takes one to three weeks, a grade 2 strain about three to eight weeks, and a complete grade 3 tear several months, sometimes with surgery.
Should I stretch a pulled hamstring?
Not hard and not into pain in the first days. Gentle stretching to a mild pull is fine early on, and strength work does more for recovery than stretching alone.
Is walking good for a hamstring strain?
Yes, walking within comfort is usually helpful. Shorten your stride and avoid running until you can walk briskly without pain.
What are the best exercises after a hamstring strain?
Isometric holds and bridges early, then hamstring curls, single-leg deadlifts and split squats, and later Nordic curls and a gradual running progression.
How can I stop my hamstring strain from coming back?
Return to sprinting only when strength is close to the other side and full-speed running is pain-free, and keep doing eccentric exercises such as Nordic curls during the season.
Where can I get hamstring rehab near me?
Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance offers physical therapy in Brooklyn at 2781 Shell Rd, Suite 101, (718) 648-1234, and on Staten Island at 1630 Richmond Rd, Suite 101, (718) 339-7100. Call before booking to confirm which office offers cryotherapy.
Educational only, not medical advice. These videos and this article explain common problems and treatments in general terms. They are not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you. Results vary from person to person. See a qualified clinician about your own symptoms, and call 911 or go to an emergency room for an emergency.
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