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The hamstring muscle group is comprised of three muscles that run along the back of the thigh: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. The hamstring muscles contract to flex the knee and extend the hip, and they play a critical role in human activities ranging from walking to more explosive actions such as sprinting and jumping. Hamstring injuries are common in sports, varying from minor strains to major ruptures, and can result from excessive muscle strain during eccentric contraction late in the leg swing phase.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in human anatomy between the hip and the knee |
| Muscle Group | Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus, Biceps femoris |
| Muscle Length | Semitendinosus (44.3 cm), Long head of Biceps (42.0 cm), Semimembranosus (38.7 cm), Short head of Biceps (29.7 cm) |
| Muscle Actions | Extend at the hip, flex at the knee, medially rotate the lower leg |
| Innervation | Sciatic nerve (L4-S3), Tibial nerve, Common peroneal branch of the sciatic nerve |
| Blood Supply | Inferior gluteal artery, Perforating branches of the profunda femoris artery, medial circumflex femoral arteries |
| Injuries | Strains, pulls, tendonitis, tightness, ruptures |
| Injury Treatment | Conservative management, operative fixation, rest, pain control, physiotherapy, open reduction, internal fixation |
| Injury Prevention | Sprinting, football, rugby, cricket, long-distance running |
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What You'll Learn
Hamstring injuries and treatment
The hamstring muscle group is made up of three muscles: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. These muscles play a critical role in many human activities, from standing to explosive actions such as sprinting and jumping. The hamstrings cross and act upon two joints—the hip and the knee—and are therefore termed biarticular muscles. The hamstrings contract when the knee is bent and lengthen when the knee is extended, and when the hips are extended.
Hamstring injuries are common in athletes and sportspeople, and they can happen in different severities. A hamstring injury is a strain or tear to the tendons or large muscles at the back of the thigh. They often occur during sudden, powerful movements, such as sprinting, lunging or jumping, that overstretch the tendons or muscles. The injury can also occur gradually during slower movements. The biceps femoris is the most commonly injured muscle, followed by the semitendinosus.
The treatment for a hamstring injury will depend on the severity of the injury. Most hamstring injuries can be cared for at home, and the recovery time can range from a few days to several months. For low-grade (grade 1) hamstring injuries, the RICE method is often recommended: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Gentle stretching and easy exercises can also help. For higher-grade injuries (grades 2 and 3), additional treatment may be required, such as physical therapy or, in severe cases, surgery.
To prevent hamstring injuries, it is important to regularly perform stretching and strengthening exercises and to warm up before exercising. After recovering from a hamstring injury, it is important to gradually resume activities and follow a customized recovery plan to help strengthen the hamstrings and increase flexibility, reducing the risk of future injuries.
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Hamstring muscles and their functions
The hamstring muscle group is comprised of three muscles that run along the back of the thigh: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. The hamstring muscles contract to flex the knee and extend the hip. The hamstrings span two joints (the hip and the knee) and are therefore biarticular muscles, which means they are subject to stretching at more than one point.
The semitendinosus is a largely tendinous muscle situated on the medial aspect of the posterior thigh. It originates from the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis and attaches to the medial surface of the tibia. The semimembranosus muscle is flat and broad. It is located deep to the semitendinosus on the medial aspect of the posterior thigh. It originates from the ischial tuberosity and attaches to the medial tibial condyle.
The biceps femoris is the most lateral of the hamstring muscles. It has two heads: the long head and the short head. The short head is sometimes excluded from the 'hamstring' characterization because it originates from the lateral lip of the femoral linea aspera, distal to the femoroacetabular joint, and crosses only one joint (the knee), so it is not involved in hip extension.
The hamstrings play a crucial role in many daily activities such as walking, running, jumping, and controlling some movement in the gluteus. They are important in the complex gait cycle during walking, which includes absorption of kinetic energy and protection of the knee and hip joints. They also play an essential role as a dynamic stabilizer of the knee joint, resisting anterior translation of the tibia during the heel strike phase of the gait cycle.
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The role of hamstrings in walking
The hamstrings are a group of three muscles at the back of the thigh that run from the hip to the knee. They include the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscles. These muscles play a crucial role in various lower body movements, including walking. During the walking motion, the hamstrings are active in both the stance and swing phases of gait. In the stance phase, when one foot is in contact with the ground, the hamstrings of that leg are responsible for maintaining knee stability and absorbing shock. As the heel strikes the ground, the hamstrings eccentrically contract to control the deceleration of the lower leg, preventing the knee from hyperextending. This action also helps store elastic energy in the muscle tendons, which is then released during the subsequent propulsion phase. As the stance leg pushes off the ground, the hamstrings concentrically contract to flex the hip, contributing to forward thrust and maintaining balance.
In the swing phase, when the leg is lifted and moved forward, the hamstrings of the swinging leg play a key role in controlling the movement of the lower leg and preparing for the next heel strike. As the leg swings forward, the hamstrings eccentrically contract to slow down the forward motion of the lower leg, preventing excessive knee flexion and positioning the foot for a smooth heel strike. This action also helps to control the trajectory of the swing leg, ensuring it clears the ground without scuffing. Additionally, the hamstrings work in conjunction with the gluteal muscles to extend the hip during the late swing phase, preparing for the initial contact and weight acceptance of the next step.
The hamstrings are crucial in maintaining proper gait mechanics and providing stability during walking. Their actions help control the complex movements of the hip and knee joints, ensuring a smooth and efficient gait cycle. Weak or tight hamstrings can lead to gait abnormalities and increased risk of injury. For example, tight hamstrings can limit the forward motion of the leg during the swing phase, resulting in a shortened stride length and altered gait pattern. On the other hand, weak hamstrings may struggle to stabilize the knee during the stance phase, leading to excessive knee motion and potential injury.
Overall, the hamstrings play a vital role in walking by controlling knee flexion and extension, contributing to hip movement, absorbing shock, and providing propulsion. Their coordinated contractions help maintain balance, stabilize joints, and ensure a smooth and efficient gait. Understanding the role of the hamstrings in walking is essential for athletes and individuals looking to improve their gait performance and prevent lower body injuries. Specific hamstring strengthening and stretching exercises can help optimize walking mechanics and reduce the risk of hamstring-related issues.
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Hamstring anatomy
The hamstrings are a group of three muscles that run along the back of the thigh: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. They are also sometimes considered to include the adductor magnus. The hamstrings are biarticular muscles, meaning they cross and act upon two joints: the hip and the knee. They contract when the knee is bent and lengthen when the knee is extended, and when the hips are extended.
The semitendinosus is a largely tendinous muscle, situated on the medial aspect of the posterior thigh and superficial to the semimembranosus. It originates from the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis and attaches to the medial surface of the tibia. It is the longest hamstring muscle, measuring an average of 44.3 cm. The semimembranosus is flat and broad and is located deep to the semitendinosus on the medial aspect of the posterior thigh. It originates from the ischial tuberosity and attaches to the medial tibial condyle. Both muscles act to flex the leg at the knee joint, extend the thigh at the hip, and medially rotate the thigh at the hip joint and the leg at the knee joint. They are innervated by the tibial part of the sciatic nerve.
The biceps femoris is the most lateral of the hamstring muscles and has two heads: a long head and a short head. The long head extends the hip, while both the long and short heads flex the knee and laterally rotate the lower leg when the knee is bent. The short head is sometimes not considered a true hamstring muscle because it originates from the lateral lip of the femoral linea aspera, distal to the femoroacetabular joint, and only crosses the knee joint. It is innervated by the common peroneal branch of the sciatic nerve.
The hamstrings play an important role in the gait cycle during walking, generating extension force at the hip and resisting knee extension in the final 25% of the swing phase. They also act as dynamic stabilizers of the knee joint, resisting anterior translation of the tibia during the heel strike phase of the gait cycle. They are involved in many daily activities such as walking, running, jumping, and controlling some movement in the gluteus.
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Hamstring muscles and sports
Hamstring muscles are the three muscles that run along the back of the thigh: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. They are involved in knee flexion and hip extension and play a critical role in human activities ranging from standing to explosive actions such as sprinting and jumping.
The hamstrings are biarticular muscles, meaning they cross and act upon two joints – the hip and the knee. They contract when the knee is bent and lengthen when the knee is extended. The semitendinosus and semimembranosus extend the hip when the trunk is fixed and medially (inwardly) rotate the lower leg when the knee is bent. Both the short and long heads of the biceps femoris flex the knee and laterally (outwardly) rotate the lower leg when the knee is bent. The long head of the biceps femoris also extends the hip.
Hamstring injuries are very common in sports, especially those that require short bursts of power, acceleration, and deceleration, such as football, rugby, cricket, and sprinting. The overall incidence of a hamstring injury in sports is about two per 1,000 hours of performance, and in some sports, hamstring injuries account for 19% of all sports injuries. They usually occur due to excessive muscle strain during eccentric contraction late in the leg swing phase. The biceps femoris is the most commonly injured hamstring muscle, followed by the semitendinosus.
The treatment of hamstring injuries ranges from conservative management to operative fixation. Minor strains are classified as grade I tears, while complete ruptures are grade III tears. Grade III injuries are more common in athletically strenuous and demanding sports. Hamstring injuries can be severe and debilitating for power athletes, often resulting in an average time loss from competition of 24 days.
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Frequently asked questions
The hamstring muscle group consists of three muscles that run along the back of the thigh: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. They are involved in knee flexion and hip extension.
The hamstring muscles play a crucial role in many daily activities such as walking, running, jumping, and controlling some movement in the gluteus. They are also important in sports that require short bursts of power, acceleration, and deceleration, such as football, rugby, and cricket.
Hamstring injuries are common in sports and can range from minor strains to major ruptures. They typically occur due to excessive muscle strain during the leg swing phase of sprinting. Treatment options can be conservative or surgical, depending on the severity of the injury.
