Graston and Active Release treatment of the Hamstring
Hamstring injuries are common to runners and triathletes alike. Generally hamstring 
strains occur from the micro trauma associated with endurance sports. They commonly occur underneath the glutes (your buttocks) at its attachment to the pelvis. Most people try to stretch them to health. They feel an ache exactly at the spot of injury, thinking that stretching the area will alleviate the pain. All the while, what they are really doing is causing insult to injury by further straining the area essentially creating a chronic problem.
Endurance sports like Marathon and Triathlon training are very time consuming and sometimes do not allow enough time to heal the micro tears which occur from the sports. As a result, the soft tissue of the hamstrings tries to repair itself by laying down non-supportive inelastic scar tissue. This scar tissue easily rips and tears and tries to heal itself by laying down more scar tissue. This is an on going process until finally a tear occurs somewhere within the belly of the muscle or up high underneath the buttock.
Instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation is the technical definition of Graston technique. Graston is the name for the patented stainless steel instruments specifically designed and shaped for various body parts and when used by a licensed professional can break down scar tissue adhesions deeper than what the hands can get to. Excellent to help heal these tears, chronic or acute because scar tissue does not allow blood to perfuse the area. It becomes thick deadened tissue. Like a brick in the muscle! Picture a dry sponge, that’s the scarred up hamstring tear….now run the sponge under the faucet, as it soaks up the water it becomes pliable and soft again, this is what Graston will do. Graston instrumentation has become an invaluable treatment tool for rehabilitating hamstring injuries at Duke Chiropractic.
When treating hamstring injuries we combine Active Release Technique, Graston and stretching to facilitate a speedy recovery.
Here’s a video of how Graston techniques are performed for the hamstring muscles at Duke Chiropractic.
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