By Michael Rand, personal trainer and triathlete.
My experience of repetitive hamstring strain
You may remember the last blog I did on BMT for performance and recovery, I explained the basic use, as an athlete, of how to get the benefits from using the ABMMA PRO BMT Device. In todays blog I am going to be a bit more specific and talk about my chronic issue of hamstring strain that I have been dealing with over the last 16 months, and how with the help of my ABMMA PRO BMT device I am finally starting to get on top of the problem.
The problem – Repetitive Hamstring strain that has turned into High Hamstring Tendinopathy also with Distal tendinopathy and ischial oedema around the tendons origin.
August last year, I had never had a hamstring issue in my life. In fact as far as I was concerned, I had very strong hamstrings, after all I could deadlift well and never had any pain. I had however had recurrent lower back strains over the last 2 – 3 years, which at the time I didn’t attribute to this being part of the cause.
Fast forward to now and with the 3 races I entered I have either missed or had to pull out of, I am pretty much over the problem. I have seen a physio and had a moderate level of success there, but not to the level where I felt that the issue was being resolving properly, as every time I ramped up my running the hamstring would tighten right up again and put me back to square one.
I have recently joined a gym to help with my rehab exercises rather than doing everything from home, as getting the heavy repetitions to build absolute strength is easier in a gym setting, with all the weights and machines I need. The exercises I am concentrating on in the gym are Hamstring overall strength along with emphasising eccentric strengthening. I assume many of you would go straight to the Nordic hamstring curls. As I thought too as well but, my hamstring strength was so low from the guarding from the strains, Nordic Curls were not an option. So Single leg hamstring curls are pretty much the main stay for now. Also Glute strength, quad strength and hip flexor lengthening and strengthening. Also what I found on my injured side, my calves were actually over working to compensate for the lack of strength and function in the Hamstring. So I have also added straight and bent leg calf raises.
How Bioelectric Meridian Therapy (BMT) helped with my hamstring strain
Once I started getting treatment with the Bioelectric massage I found some improvement from the treatment I received and started to gain some confidence in the tissue again. But for me, once I started using the device 2 – 3 times a week for self-treatment was when I began to get the improvement I was searching for. The device helps with both the inflammatory issues I have been having around the hips and legs and anecdotally the muscles ability to contract has improved greatly as well.
3 Times per week I do the following routines:
Routine 1
15 minutes on Program 1, with the red pad on the lateral aspect of my femur at about the level of the greater trochanter. I feel for the ischial tuberosity and the lateral hamstring attachment and place the pad there. I then place 1 green pad medial to that. The goal here is to send the low frequency signal straight across the hamstring tendons. While in this sequence I flex and extend the knee over the 15 minutes about 20 – 30 times. The intensity I use on the device I am now using is at level 30. I started at 10 and as the tissue has improved, I have been able to increase the stimulus.
Routine 2
15 minutes on program 1, I now move the red pad slightly medial to where it just was, to the Origin of the hamstrings and take the green pads to the distal end of the hamstring. Here I use both green pads so I can hit Biceps femoris and both the medial Hamstrings. While in this sequence I flex and extend the knee over the 15 minutes about 20 – 30 times the same as in routine 1. The intensity I use on the device is 15. This can be quite intense to if you do try this one make sure to start quite low.
Routine 3
15 minutes on program 5. Here I use the red and a green pad on the left and right glutes at around the sciatic notch area. The goal here is to hit the majority of the glute structure all at once. So glute min and med and glute mas also, plus all the deep external rotators. While using the device with this one I tend to really wind this one up and have the intensity right up to 30. While doing the routine I will also do various movements like good mornings and lunges and squats. I have also had the device on while on the stationary bike doing a workout.
When I first started these routines I found that I had a huge level of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) for a few days afterwards. But as I progressed I have found that the muscle tissue is responding better than I had hoped for.
In the new year I will be posting videos of these routines and more on my Instagram page. If you want to follow along, search for mickrand_abmma.
The following are pictures showing roughly where I place the pads for the above routines. I hope this helps and I hope you got even a little bit from this to help you progress and move forward with your athletic goals.
Michael Rand
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BMT: A versatile solution for common injuries and sprain recovery
