Dear Hamstring Injury Sufferer,
I Have a Couple of Important Questions For You:
1. Does it boggle your mind how long it is taking your injured hamstring to get better?
2. Are you concerned that the chance your hamstring strain will reoccur is twice as great as most other strains?
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
On this very page you are currently reading I’m going to give you the straight goods on soft tissue hamstring and leg injuries.
After that, I’m going to reveal the following:
- How you can heal your soft tissue hamstring injury fast - just like the pro-athletes do, so you can get back to work and off the couch!
- Why re-injuries are so common these days.
- Simple points you can follow to decrease your odds of re-injuring your hamstring.
So, Let's Get Started..
The Straight Goods on
Soft Tissue Hamstring and Leg Injuries
Why and How it Happens
You hamstrings describe a set of three muscles that are very long and cross the hip and knee joints. So, first of all, they are very long and second of all, they handle extreme forces very frequently. Hamstring injuries are common in high-speed running sports, waterskiing and activities like dancing or kicking where hip flexion (flexing) and knee extension occurs simultaneously. Simultaneous hip flexion and knee extension (ie. kicking a soccer ball) creates maximum stretch on the hamstrings and this is often when strain occurs. This is also why it is common for hip muscle injuries to occur at the same time as a hamstring injury.
Many studies have focused on hamstring pulls and there are many suggestions as to why there is a greater chance of pulling your hamstring. The 4 risk factors most studies focus on are as follows:
- Age - nothing can be done about this..
- Previous Hamstring Injury - Studies have shown that if you have had a hamstring pull in the past, you have a greater chance of getting another.
- Flexibility - the less flexible your muscles are, you have a greater chance of a hamstring muscle strain.
- Muscle Imbalance - evidence seems to support that an overly strong quadricep muscle compared to a weak hamstring muscle will exert extra strain on the hamstring; this will increase your risk of a hamstring pull.
Note: I strongly encourage anyone who has undergone a hamstring injury to read more about this in our information pages. The more you understand why the injury occurred, the better chance you have to prevent re-injury.
Why is it Taking so Long to Get Better?
When you have a pulled hamstring muscle or tendon, the area becomes inflamed as the damaged tissue cells release toxins. These toxins cause the area to be very tender to touch, red, and sore to move. As the toxins and damaged cells accumulate, blood vessels become blocked and fluid gathers... resulting in swelling and pain. This is very much like the effect a dam has on a river - the flow is stopped and the fluid just builds up.
Blood is your body's natural healer. It delivers oxygen and nutrients - elements crucial to regenerate and re-grow healthy tissue. The bad news is that your inflamed hamstring injury cannot heal fast because there is very little fresh blood flowing to the injured area. By the way, if your injury is significant, you won't be walking; the immobility that comes with the pain means your muscle is not moving anymore either. The lack of muscle activity means there is even less blood flowing to the injured area.
Ah, So to Speed Up the Healing I Get Rid of the Swelling?
Yes, for starters. To speed it up faster, use a therapy that will decrease the swelling and also increase the blood flow. Basically, treat yourself the way pro athletes do - their trainers know the best ways to treat soft tissue injuries so take a lesson from them!
So How Do Trainers Treat Pro Athletes Hamstring Pulls?
Trainers use a combination of cold compression and Ultrasound Therapy.
Doctors routinely prescribe ultrasonic massage treatments as a primary treatment for all forms of soft tissue inflammation. Typically these treatments are two sessions per week, since more than that becomes too inconvenient or expensive. The stakes are much higher for professional athletes however, where downtime can cost a sports team millions in lost revenue; this is why athletic team trainers treat injured athletes with ultrasound, and do so multiple times per day.
It's no SECRET! Trainers use Ultrasound on Pro Athletes ALL the TIME!
You have now learned the "straight goods" on hamstring pulls. I was on such a roll, I already gave you some foolproof ways to recover faster from your injury. There is a key piece of information that is more valuable yet that I want to share with you. Before I do so, however, it is necessary that you learn about re-injury.
Why do Pulled Hamstring and other Soft Tissue Injuries Reoccur so Often?
If you have had a soft tissue reinjury, it probably happened because you were not fully healed. This means that your injured muscle was weaker than it should be or less flexible than it should be, but most probably you had scar tissue sitting in the site of the old injury. Even if there is no pain remaining, if you still have scar tissue from an old injury then you are taking a very big chance of injuring yourself yet again in the same spot!
In most cases of a tear, strain, pull, or cartilage degeneration, scar tissue begins to form at the injury site, binding your tissues together abnormally. Unlike healthy tissue that works like a stretchy elastic band, scar tissue is tough and inflexible. Most of us know of someone that just can't seem to recover from a soft tissue injury - a good example is a runner that has injured their achilles tendon: the injury stops hurting so they start running again, and the scar tissue from the old injury prevents the achilles from flexing properly, so they keep straining it time after time. In fact, 90% of runners that have injured their achilles will reinjure their achilles again - this is what scar tissue can do - it turns a short term injury into a long term recurring injury.
Scar tissue limits the range of motion in your hamstring muscle (or tendon), greatly increases the chance of re-injury, causes pain when stretching and can leave you vulnerable to a life time of chronic inflammation and pain.
Scar Tissue - It Likes to Linger
To put it bluntly, scar tissue is bad! If you have a muscle strain, hamstring pull or partial tear then you have scar tissue. Until you get rid of it, your odds of reinjury will remain higher than it did before your initial injury.
Scar Tissue remains well past the time of the initial trauma, remaining locked away in your previously injured tissue. It sits there like a time bomb just waiting for you to start putting more strain onto your hamstring again then... boom - another pulled hamstring in the same old spot! Scar Tissue can exist even when the pain is no longer there; so do not be fooled - no pain does not mean you are fully healed.
Now, for the Amazing Part:
Ultrasound is Key for Long-Lasting Results
Ultrasound therapy is an essential step in keeping your soft tissue injury from debilitating you later on in life! As the sound waves 'bounce' against the scar tissue they 'micro-massage' and soften it, increasing the elasticity and restoring your tissue back to its normal state - good as new. This is essential because renewed, elastic tissue is healthier and less prone to re-injury. Get rid of the scar tissue and you reduce the chance of a chronic (life-long) painful condition, like arthritis or tendonitis, from setting in.
Scar tissue buildup makes it difficult and painful to stretch your hamstring (walking, for example) or extend your lower leg with a lifted knee, limiting your range of motion. As ultrasound treats your scar tissue you will notice it is easier to move your injured leg again. This is a sign that your therapy is working.
No scar tissue = improved flexibility & range of motion
Physical Therapy employs massage techniques to remove scar tissue and they are very effective though painful. Often the pain is too much to bear and in such cases you have a person that sacrifices flexibility because he/she cannot bear the pain of having the scar tissue "worked out". Ultrasonic waves soften tough scar tissue with no pain or impact - but keep in mind that it can take months of ultrasound treatment to reduce scar tissue, so its not a quick fix.
So, not only will Ultrasound Therapy increase your soft tissue injury recovery rate - it will also help your body rid itself of Scar Tissue.
Frequent Treatments = Quicker Results
The biggest secret of ultrasound therapy is...the more you do it, the better it works. It's that simple - ultrasound softens painful scar tissue and speeds up the healing process.
The treatments are easy, painless and the results are outstanding!
What Does Ultrasound Do?
Ultrasound Therapy is a vital component to rapid healing of your Hamstring Pull or Muscle Strain, as it provides multiple benefits. First, it increases blood flow to the treated area, which speeds the healing process. Second, it reduces swelling and edema, which are the main sources of pain. When used in conjunction with a Freezie Wrap® and an Inferno Wrap®, you are maximizing your recovery therapy.
To rid your hamstring inflammation completely you need something to unblock the blood vessels and open the blood flow in the injury location. During ultrasound treatments, sound waves vibrate the soft tissue to reduce the blockage, decreasing the pooling of fluid and resupplying the injured area with much needed nutrients (allowing your injured cells to heal more quickly). Here's how it happens...
The sound waves bounce against the tissue, scattering the fluid that causes inflammation. This unblocks the dam allowing blood to flow normally again. Increased blood flow helps whisk away dead cells and toxins from the injured tissue. The sound waves speed your body through the inflammatory process - reducing symptoms of pain, swelling, redness and heat - and open up vessels to deliver fresh blood for healing.
...the key to faster healing.
Blood is your body's natural healer. It delivers oxygen and nutrients - elements crucial to regenerate and re-grow healthy tissue. Not only does ultrasound open up your blood vessels, it creates a thermal (warming) effect in the tissue cells. To counteract this warming effect, your body tries to cool the warmed tissue by sending blood to your hamstring muscles. This increases the amount of fresh oxygen and nutrients to your hamstring muscles for even faster healing!
Therapeutic ultrasound increases the blood-flow to your sore hamstring tendons and muscles, enhancing your body's natural healing process in a non-invasive and painless way. Ultrasound Therapy - Makes Sense Right?
Let's Review some points about Ultrasound Therapy:
- ultrasound increases blood flow.
- ultrasound decreases swelling.
- ultrasound can soften scar tissue and increase elasticity.
What Can Be Treated With Ultrasound?
An incredibly wide variety of ailments are treated using ultrasound. Essentially, ultrasound will help anywhere you need increased blood circulation and reduced swelling/edema.
Injuries to the tendons, ligaments, muscles, and cartilage are excellent candidates for ultrasound treatments. Typically, these types of injuries are very slow to heal due to constant use and/or poor or slow blood circulation. Regular applications of ultrasound therapy over the duration of the healing period will quickly and significantly reduce pain as well as recovery time- the ultrasound-stimulated tissue and increased blood flow speed the healing process, while the swelling/edema is reduced.
Ultrasound Therapy - As a Warm Up
Most professional athletes use ultrasound therapy as a preventative measure to protect themselves against injury. Using ultrasound before and after very physically demanding activities aids in the warm-up/warm-down process. Athletes with chronic ailments from previous injuries also use ultrasound to promote circulation to the injured area and to reduce any swelling and pain which may impact their performance. Many professional athletes have purchased personal ultrasound units, due to their frequent use.
Trigger Point Therapy
Massage therapists will often offer ultrasound treatments in conjunction with regular massage, as a pain free method of releasing trigger points and "knots" in all the muscles. Using ultrasound on the trigger points of injured muscles helps to relax and reduce the trauma of the injury. When relaxed, the muscle can heal and recover from the injury much more quickly and more effectively, with less scar tissue formation. While full body ultrasound treatments are not practical, ultrasound treatments on specific injured areas are very effective.
What is so Important About Ultrasound Gel?
When applied directly to the skin an ultrasound head cannot effectively transfer the sound waves into the body. To make it work properly, a conductive medium is required - ultrasound gel.
The gel simply makes it possible for the sound waves to travel from the unit head into your body. Ultrasound without gel is ineffective and can damage the ultrasound machine.
Is My Ultrasound Treatment Missing
the Advantages of Phonophoresis?
If you are not getting your ultrasound gel from MendMeShop, then the answer is yes. Our all-natural gel is the only Effective Topical Therapeutic Gel that is also a Phonophoretic Ultrasound Gel. When we went out looking for an outstanding ultrasound gel to use along with our outstanding ultrasound unit, we didn't like what we found, so we made our own! It is made with natural medical ingredients- Eucalyptus, Bulgarian Lavender, Peppermint and Menthol.
These have anesthetic, counter-irritant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, decongestant, circulatory stimulant properties, and more. When applied topically and phonophoretically massaged into the skin during ultrasound treatments, MendMeShop Ultrasound Gel relieves pain and speeds healing, without any side-effects.
How to Get Further Relief with Phonophoresis Therapy
Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines deep into your uppper leg muscles via the use of medicated ultrasound gel. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with Phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than Ultrasound Therapy alone.
The MendMeShop all natural gel is the only effective topical therapeutic gel that is also a phonophoretic ultrasound gel.
MendMeShop Lavender Infusion ultrasound gel is made with natural medical ingredients that have:
- anesthetic
- counter-irritant
- anti-inflammatory
- analgesic
- decongestant
- circulatory stimulant properties and more
When applied topically and massaged into the skin, MendMeShop Gel relieves pain and speeds healing without any side-effects.
MendMeShop Gel is a professional medical product for professional quality treatments that is prescribed by doctors and used in physical therapy and chiropractic clinics.
If you are not using the MendMeShop Lavender Infusion Ultrasound gel, your pulled hamstring treatment is missing the advantages of phonophoresis.
MendMeShop Lavender Infusion Gel is a medical product that is prescribed by doctors and used in many physical therapy and chiropractic clinics. MendMeShop Gel is a professional product for professional quality treatments. It's powerful, effective, hypoallergenic, and it works!
Dear Reader,
We have some great news! After months of developing the formula and waiting for preliminary tests to come back, I can honestly say our new Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel is a winner! We've kept out all the bad ingredients (paraben, colorants, industrial dyes), and I can honestly say - this is the costliest ultrasound gel ever made by anyone! Our decision NOT to use the standard industrial lavender additive but use REAL Bulgarian Lavender is a decision made for this reason: MendMeShop is about Real Solutions for Real People.
When we started this company, we decided to be the Internet Shop that people can count on. MendMeShop sells only the best, and no matter what you find on our shop, remember this - Our products come doctor and therapist recommended, and we only sell products that are the highest standard in the industry. MendMeShop is a shop you can count on, guaranteed!
All the best,
Darren Cole, President of MendMeShop.com
Where Can I Get Ultrasound Treatments?
Traditional Ultrasound Therapy treatments can be obtained from most Doctors, Physiotherapists, and Chiropractors. Some Massage Therapists also provide Ultrasound treatments.
Phonophoretic Ultrasound Therapy is also available at many Doctor's offices, Chiropractors, and Physical Therapy Clinics. Some clinics may even rent out Ultrasound Kits to patients for use at home after an initial consultation. Typical pricing is $75 - $100 per week for take home units. In-clinic treatment pricing may vary depending on your condition.
Ultrasound Kits are also available for purchase from most medical practitioners who offer Ultrasound treatments. You can also order our ultrasound at our online shop by clicking here.
MendMeShop's Home Therapeutic Ultrasound Kits
Our Home Therapeutic Ultrasound Kit is designed for people who require or desire ultrasound treatments on a regular basis. Compact, light-weight, safe, portable and very easy to use, it provides people with a means to give themselves convenient, private, and much less expensive ultrasound treatments.
The units come with a bottle of our naturally medicated ultrasound gel that, through the process of phonophoresis, delivers anti-inflammatory and pain relieving ingredients deep into the treated area. The combination of phonophoretically delivered medications and the regular ultrasound therapy provide incredible pain relief and greatly speed the healing process.
In addition to the ultrasound unit and medicated gel, our kits also come with an illustrated treatment manual to guide you through treating almost every part of your body. Furthermore, our crew of friendly Customer Service Advisors can provide personalized treatment plans or answer any questions you might have... and it's a toll free phone call!
Benefits of MendMeShop Ultrasound
Why No Other Ultrasound Unit Compares To MendMeShop:
- A 96% customer success rate
- Automatic 1 Year Warranty - Optional 5 year upgrade
- Exclusive MendMeShop phonophoretic medicated gel
- Timed safety shut off, preventing injury due to overuse
- 60 Day Money Back Guarantee
- Access to dedicated Customer Service Advisors at any time
Effective
Therapeutic Ultrasound emits ultrasound waves at a frequency of 1-million vibrations per second (1 MHz). A safe recommended treatment time is typically 3 to 10 minutes at three applications per day.
Our online shop offers a safe personal therapeutic ultrasound device for your purchase. This ultrasound technology is the same technology used at your physical therapists office.
When used properly with our ultrasound gel, your personal ultrasound unit has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective treatment device for injuries and ailments.
Soothing
Our personal ultrasound unit comes with our specially formulated ultrasound gel containing Menthol, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Lavender - proven natural pain relievers.
This ultrasound gel is designed to give immediate topical relief. Even better though is that the ultrasound waves drive the pain relieving ingredients deep into the affected tissues.
Medically this process is known as phonophoresis. The end result is that the combination of our ultrasound and the specially formulated gel get to the pain deep under the skin to the injured muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments. It's relief where you need it most.
Versatile
The therapeutic properties of ultrasound and phonophoresis have many applications. You can use the MendMeShop ultrasound unit to relieve:
- Tendon injuries
- Ligament injuries
- Muscle injuries
- Sciatica
- Plantar Fasciitis
It is also an amazing anti-inflammatory and pain reliever for bursitis, Arthritis, and Nerve Damage.
Quality Engineered
The MendMeShop Ultrasound Therapy System:
- is engineered in an approved medical manufacturing facility - made to our exact specifications for optimal, frequent home treatments.
- guaranteed to not heat up and break down due to a unique energy absorption ring that reduces wear and tear on the internal parts of the unit.
- is a high quality device, made of durable materials.
- offers a medical grade level of reliability - guaranteed. Every unit comes with an automatic 1 year warranty with the option to extend it to 5 years.
Cost Effective and Convenient
Therapeutic ultrasound delivers the same kind of pain relief and healing benefits as professional ultrasound treatments at the physical therapy office.
When used in conjunction with other physical therapy regimens, users can reduce recurring physical therapy costs and decrease time traveling to inconvenient appointments.
For most injuries and ailments, a cycle of ultrasound therapy usually consists of 3 to 10 minute treatments 2-3 times per day for the duration of the healing period.
This surprises many people who have gone for single treatments in clinics only 2 or 3 times each week. This has everything to do with the cost and convenience for the customer.
A proper course of therapeutic ultrasound treatments consists of 3 to 10 minute treatments 2 to 4 times per day.
Therapeutic Ultrasound Restrictions
Please read carefully our Ultrasound Contraindications and Information page here.
If you or your physician determine that Ultrasound Therapy is not a viable option, Click here to Read More About Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy.
“I have been using the Ultrasound Therapy System and the Back/Hip Inferno Wrap in treating a hamstring tendon injury very high in the hip at the insertion point. I have had a 35% improvement in just 9 days of using both units. They are very practical and ideal for home use.” Chris, Idaho
“...I initially bought the ultrasound device for an Achilles problem, and that was taken care of within 3 weeks. I am a runner who competes in races ranging from a mile to the marathon distance and competes in duathlons and triathlons. In January ... I had a severe injury of my hamstring. I took it easy, iced, and waited for the pain to go away (at this point I had not heard about a home ultrasound device.) I was able to continue running after the pain lessened, but my range of motion was limited. My right leg was tight because of the hamstring injury. In May of 2008 I was running in a boot camp class and re-injured the hamstring. An MRI showed a right hamstring strain and extensive bursitis of the right hip. I began using the ultrasound device 3 times a day and I can say that my hamstring and hip are pain free. I have not had this much flexibility/range of motion in my right leg for over a year and a half. B. Doubek, Illinois Call to Order or Purchase Online
Our ultrasound kits are radically changing lives and the professional therapeutic community. A low cost, safe, easy-to-use unit allows professionals to provide their patients with units to take home and use for the duration of the healing process.
This means you can get your treatments 3 times per day, every day, instead of just a couple times per week. That's 10 times as often - 10 times the benefit - meaning a much less painful and more speedy recovery.
Get Your Personalised Treatment Plan Today!
You can order online or place an order over the phone. We have dedicated MendMeShop Customer Service Advisors waiting to take your call and give you a personalised treatment plan.
You can call us to place an order or ask questions at:
North America (Toll Free): 1866 237 9608
International Callers: 1 705 445 3505
Guaranteed To Be The Best
MendMeShop Portable Ultrasound Units are the best quality product you will find anywhere. MendMeshop products are also guaranteed with a 60 day money back guarantee.
Or Your Money Back, Hassle Free!
If for any reason you're not happy with any product you purchase at MendMeShop, you can send it back for a full refund.
Home Ultrasound Kits are radically changing lives, as well as the professional therapeutic community. A low cost, safe, easy-to-use unit allows professionals to provide their patients with units to take home and use for the duration of the healing process. This means you can get your treatments 3 times per day, every day, instead of just a couple times per week. This therefore means a fast, efficient recovery, with reduced pain- guaranteed.
Before beginning any new treatments or therapies for any condition, always consult your doctor to make sure MendMeShop's outstanding products are right for you.
If you are suffering from a nagging hamstringinjury then I'd advise you to learn about how Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy can be used to further enhance your injury treatment. Click here to Read More About BFST™.
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