Many athletes encounter hamstring injuries in their athletic careers.

A hamstring injury is basically a strain or a tear to the tendons or large muscles at the back of the thigh.

Hamstring injuries vary in severity – at one end it could just be a mild muscle pull and at another end, it could be a complete muscle tear.

Effective care and treatment are very important because once injured, athletes are at a higher risk of re-injury. In cases of re-injury, recovery can take a long time.

The causes of hamstring pain can vary too. Though, usually, it is caused by chronic proximal hamstring tendinopathy — an overuse syndrome that leads to deep posterior hip and buttock pain.

Shockwave therapy is increasingly being used to treat hamstring injuries. In this blog, we discuss why shockwave therapy has gained popularity in sports medicine and look at the scientific evidence.

Shockwave Therapy and Professional Leagues

Numerous NHL, NBA, and NFL teams provide shockwave therapy to their athletes by leveraging Storz Medical machines.

When teams make a significant investment in players, they also invest in ensuring that the players stay physically fit.

Shockwave therapy is preferred because it not only treats issues like hamstring injuries, it actually enhances performance. It has proven highly successful at preventing injury as well as improving athletic performance. It restores movement in injured areas without surgery or the need for pain medication, such as steroids.

Research On Shockwave Therapy and Hamstring Recovery

There are studies that have shown that shockwave therapy for hamstrings has provided pain relief and accelerated the healing process for athletes.

For instance, a study conducted in 2004, examined the impact of shockwave therapy on chronic proximal hamstring tendinopathy in professional athletes.

Forty professional athletes with chronic proximal hamstring tendinopathy were enrolled and were randomly assigned to receive either shockwave therapy or traditional conservative treatments that included physiotherapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and an exercise program for the hamstring.

The results showed that shockwave therapy was a clear winner.

At 3 months after treatment, 17 of the 20 patients (85%) in the shockwave therapy group and 2 of the 20 patients (10%) in the traditional conservative treatments group achieved a reduction of at least 50% in pain.

Another study, conducted in 2017, assessed the effect of shockwave therapy for participants with hamstring tightness.

The study highlighted that shockwave therapy and stretching exercises improved hamstring tightness significantly.

Treatment and the MASTERPULS® Series

MASTERPULS® shockwave therapy machines, from Storz Medical, are used by many sports physiotherapists to help athletes get back on their feet faster, to great effect.

The patented V-ACTOR® vibration technology, available for MASTERPULS® Ultra Series, helps with the treatment of large muscle areas; tissue massage and muscle soothing; and treatment of specific muscle points.

Additionally, the D20 series transmitter heads, in particular, are very effective in treating hamstring injuries. As these heads are larger in size, they can cover wider surface areas, consequently facilitating quick and effective treatment.

To learn more about Storz Medical machines and see how we can help you get your patients back on their feet faster, get in touch today. Contact Shockwave Canada by calling 1 (888) 741-SHOC(7462) or visiting https://shockwavecanada.com/contact-shockwave-therapy-canada/.