072. Accelerated hamstring injury rehabilitation exercise selection and progressions with Jack Hickey

11/03/17 • 76 min

Injured athletes like to recover and return to play as quickly as possible, and we need to balance return to play against impaired strength, performance and risk of reinjury. Initial injury rehabilitation often commences with isometric exercises, progressing into concentric/eccentric style exercises when isometric tests are pain-free. Finally high load eccentric exercises such as the Nordic hamstring are introduced for their positive effects of increased strength, fascicle length and reduced injury risk.

High level and eccentric exercises are often avoided in the early stages of rehab, for fear of aggravating the injury. What if we could commence higher-level and eccentric exercises safely at an earlier stage? Would this impair or accelerate your patients' recovery?

In this podcast with Jack Hickey, currently completing a PhD with the QUT/ACU hamstring injury research group, we explore an accelerated hamstring injury rehabilitation program, and how this can be implemented with your patients. You will discover:

The limitations of traditional rehabilitation
What is the evidence for only using isometric exercises in the early stages of rehab
Why eccentric exercises are commonly thought of as too high a load for initial rehab
More modern rehabilitation programs for hamstring strain injuries, including the Askling (2013), Aspetar (2017) and Mendiguchia (2017) programs
An accelerated rehab program, introducing higher-level and eccentric exercises at an early stage
When you can start your patient's rehabilitation
Which exercises you can use with your hamstring injury patients
How to know when to progress your patient's exercises
How often high-level exercises need to be performed
When your patients can return to running
How to progress your patients through a return to running program
When your patients are suitable for return to sport

Links associated with this episode:

Sliding discs to use in hamstring slider exercises in your clinic - available in Australia. Use the code "clinicaledge" to get 20% off your order (at the above link, not applicable on Amazon)
Amazon (outside Australia)- Sliding discs to use in hamstring slider exercises

Other episodes of interest:

Articles associated with this episode:

The limitations of traditional rehabilitation
What is the evidence for only using isometric exercises in the early stages of rehab
Why eccentric exercises are commonly thought of as too high a load for initial rehab
More modern rehabilitation programs for hamstring strain injuries, including the Askling (2013), Aspetar (2017) and Mendiguchia (2017) programs
An accelerated rehab program, introducing higher-level and eccentric exercises at an early stage
When you can start your patient's rehabilitation
Which exercises you can use with your hamstring injury patients
How to know when to progress your patient's exercises
How often high-level exercises need to be performed
When your patients can return to running
How to progress your patients through a return to running program
When your patients are suitable for return to sport

Links associated with this episode:

Sliding discs to use in hamstring slider exercises in your clinic - available in Australia. Use the code "clinicaledge" to get 20% off your order (at the above link, not applicable on Amazon)
Amazon (outside Australia)- Sliding discs to use in hamstring slider exercises

Other episodes of interest:

Articles associated with this episode:

Previous Episode

071. Hamstring strengthening, lengthening and injury prevention with Dr David Opar

Hamstring injuries are the most common injury in football and AFL, and we can help our patients strengthen their hamstrings while significantly reducing their risk of injury with the right exercise program. What are the best exercises to use to strengthen and lengthen the hamstrings, and to prevent hamstring injury?

In this Physio Edge podcast with Dr David Opar, we discuss hamstring injury prevention, which athletes will benefit, which exercises to use, the most important aspects of each exercise and how to incorporate these with your athletes. You will discover:

What does the latest research around hamstring exercises and injury reveal?
Which players are most at risk of hamstring injury?
How can we prevent hamstring injuries?
How does hamstring muscle architecture adapt to training, and how does this relate to your exercise selection or prescription?
How can we increase hamstring muscle fascicle length?
How can we tailor our patients hamstring program based on whether they are preseason, in-season, uninjured or previously injured?
Which exercises are important in hamstring rehabilitation and prehabilitation?
How can you start and progress a hamstring injury prevention program?
How quickly do patients lose their hamstring gains, and how much maintenance do they need to perform?
What happens to hamstring muscle strength and flexibility following injury?
What neuromuscular inhibition happens following hamstring injuries, and how can we address this in our rehab?

There has been a lot of great research performed recently on hamstring injuries, and to share this and help you with your hamstring injury patients, we have invited Dr David Opar to present at the upcoming Sports Injuries virtual conference in December 2017. You can access six free preconference sports injury presentations by CLICKING HERE.

Next Episode

073. Neck pain rehabilitation and strengthening with Kay Robinson

Strengthening is not commonly used in neck pain treatment and rehabilitation, however athletes may place large demands on their neck during training and play that require a high level of strength or endurance.

When should you include strength training in your rehabilitation? What patients will benefit from strength training? How can you incorporate strengthening into your treatment?

In episode 73 of the Physio Edge podcast, we explore the role of neck strengthening with Kay Robinson, Physiotherapist working with Australian sailing, and previously with the British Olympic Skeleton team.

In the podcast you will discover: