Hamstring injuries can be frustrating. They often show up at the worst times: just as training is going well or right before a goal race. And for runners, they can be especially tricky because hamstring pain doesn’t always require total rest—but it also shouldn’t be ignored.
At Steady State Health, we help runners recover from hamstring pain every day. In this blog, we’ll walk you through:
Here are some signs we use with runners to help guide that decision:
We often say: running through some mild discomfort is okay, but running with altered mechanics or increasing symptoms is not worth the risk of further setback.
Also important: pain does not always equal damage. On the flip side, being pain-free does not mean you're fully rehabbed. Many runners feel fine once pain fades but still have underlying strength deficits that leave them vulnerable to reinjury. In fact, research shows that nearly one-third of hamstring strains recur within the first year, and recurrent injuries are often more severe than the original (van der Made et al., 2018). Building full strength and resilience—not just eliminating pain—is key to preventing setbacks.
Even at slower speeds, your hamstring absorbs a huge amount of force with every stride—around 3–4x your bodyweight. But as you speed up, those forces jump significantly—often upwards of 7–9x your bodyweight during fast running or sprinting (Bramah et al., 2023).
Most of that load is absorbed during the late swing phase, just before your foot hits the ground. That’s when the hamstring is working hard to decelerate your leg and control impact. It’s also the phase where many hamstring strains occur.
This is why returning to faster running too quickly is a common cause of reinjury—and why your rehab plan needs to include both strength and speed-specific loading.
We break down rehab into three general phases. Here’s how we usually guide runners through each step:
Goal: Decrease pain and reintroduce safe, controlled loading
Examples:
Why it matters: Runners often stretch their hamstring when it hurts, but that’s usually not what it needs. Early rehab should focus on controlled tension and strength—not aggressive stretching.
Goal: Improve capacity, especially in the lengthened position
Examples:
Why it matters: This phase builds the strength needed for running, especially when your leg is extended behind you or swinging through. Eccentric strength (controlling lengthening) is a key way to ensure your loading exercises are challenging enough to promote positive adaptation.
Goal: Prepare the hamstring for real-world, high-speed running
Examples:
Why it matters: Sprinting is often the final progression. These movements help restore the hamstring’s ability to absorb and generate force quickly—just like it needs to during fast running. It’s super important to retrain your hamstring’s power even if you’re not intending on doing any fast running in the near future!
If you’re dealing with hamstring pain, don’t just stretch it or rest and hope for the best. A proper rehab plan should include:
It can be hard to know exactly when to move to the next stage or reintroduce running without guidance. If you're tired of guessing and want a clearer path forward, we're here to help.
At Steady State Health, we help runners recover fully from injuries and build resilience for the long haul. Whether you’re training for your next PR or just trying to run without pain, we’re here to help you find your steady state.
Have questions or wondering where you fit in this progression? Reach out to schedule a running-specific evaluation in Portland or Scarborough—or virtually if you’re outside Maine.