Hamstring injury rehab: recovery time and exercises

By Geoff Scott, Founder & Senior Physiotherapist, Hauora

By Geoff Scott, Senior Physiotherapist and founder of Hauora. Last updated 14 November 2026.

How long does a hamstring injury take to heal?

Most hamstring strains take between two and eight weeks to recover, depending on how badly the muscle is injured and whether the tendon is involved. In elite football the median time out is about two weeks, but injuries involving the tendon take much longer. The right rehab gets you back faster and makes it far less likely to happen again.

Hamstring injuries are the most common injury in professional football, where Geoff spent years as Head of Medicine at Tottenham Hotspur, and he has written for The Athletic about the rise in hamstring injuries across the Premier League. At our clinic in Primrose Hill we use the same approach for Sunday league footballers, sprinters, rugby players and runners from St John’s Wood, Belsize Park, Hampstead and across north London.

Hamstring injury at a glance

The most common injury in football: across 21 seasons of UEFA’s Elite Club Injury Study, hamstring injuries made up 19% of all injuries, rising to 24% in the most recent season.
Mostly sprinting injuries: in the same study, 61% happened while the player was running or sprinting.
Two main types: sprinting injuries, and stretching injuries from high kicks, slides or splits. Stretching injuries take longer to recover.
The type of rehab matters: in elite footballers, rehab built around lengthening exercises got players back in an average of 28 days, compared with 51 days for conventional exercises.
They’re preventable: injury prevention programmes that include the Nordic hamstring exercise cut hamstring injuries by up to 51%.
They come back: hamstring injuries are the injury most likely to recur in football, which is why the end of rehab matters most.

Hamstring injury symptoms

Sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh while sprinting, kicking or stretching
Sometimes a pop or a tearing feeling
Pain when walking, bending forward or straightening the knee
Tenderness and, after a day or two, bruising at the back of the thigh
Weakness when bending your knee or lifting your leg behind you

Types and grades of hamstring injury

There are two main types. Sprinting-type injuries happen during high-speed running and usually affect the biceps femoris, the outer hamstring. Stretching-type injuries happen in extreme stretched positions, such as a high kick, a sliding tackle, a split or a dance move, and often involve the tendon of the semimembranosus near the sitting bone. In a Swedish trial in elite football, stretching-type injuries took around twice as long to recover as sprinting-type injuries.

Severity ranges from a mild strain to a complete tear. In elite sport, clinicians use the British Athletics Muscle Injury Classification, which grades injuries from 0 to 4 and records whether the injury is in the outer layer of the muscle, at the junction between muscle and tendon, or within the tendon itself. Injuries that extend into the tendon need a longer and more cautious rehab.

When a hamstring injury needs urgent assessment

Most hamstring strains don’t need a scan. Get assessed promptly, and an MRI considered, if you felt a pop high up near your sitting bone, if there’s extensive bruising, if you can’t walk normally, or if you can’t bend your knee against resistance. These can be signs that the tendon has torn away from the bone. That injury often does best with surgery within a few weeks, so it’s important not to miss it. Read more in our guide to hamstring repair rehab.

Hamstring rehab, stage by stage

1. The first few days: protect, don’t rest completely

Walk as normally as you can and keep moving within comfort. Gentle, pain-free movement and light isometric holds, such as pushing your heel into the floor while lying on your back, start the healing process. Avoid stretching hard into pain early on, and avoid massage on a fresh injury.

2. Early loading at length

Within the first week, most people can begin loading the hamstring in progressively longer positions. These three exercises are based on the protocol that almost halved return times in Swedish elite football:

The extender: lying on your back, hold the injured thigh with your hip bent to 90 degrees, then slowly straighten your knee to just short of pain
The diver: standing on the injured leg, reach your arms and body forward as the other leg extends behind you, like a slow-motion dive, keeping your back straight
The glider: holding onto a support, slide your uninjured leg backwards on a towel while your weight stays on the injured leg, then pull yourself back using that leg

3. Build strength through range

As pain settles, we add heavier work: bridges and single-leg bridges, Romanian deadlifts, hip extension exercises and, once you’re pain-free with them, Nordic hamstring curls. The aim is to restore strength, especially strength while the muscle is lengthening, because that’s what protects it at high speed.

4. Rebuild your running and sprinting

Running starts early, at a gentle pace, and builds in steps: jogging, then strides, then sprinting at around 70%, 80%, 90% and finally full speed. Because most hamstring injuries happen while sprinting, getting back to genuine top-speed running before you play is essential. Skipping this step is one of the most common reasons hamstrings go again.

5. Return to sport when you pass the tests

Before you go back, you should be able to sprint at full speed without pain, have hamstring strength within about 10% of the other side, and move into fast stretched positions without any hesitation or apprehension. Then full training, then matches. We explain the full process in our guide to return-to-sport testing.

Why hamstring injuries come back, and how to stop them

The common reasons for a repeat injury are going back too soon, not enough high-speed running before returning, strength that’s still down on the injured side, and fatigue from a crowded schedule. Many repeat injuries happen in the first weeks after returning, which is why we keep a close eye on that period.

The best-proven way to prevent hamstring injuries is the Nordic hamstring exercise. A 2019 analysis of 15 studies and 8,459 athletes found that programmes including it cut hamstring injuries by up to 51%. Kneel with your ankles held, lower your body forward as slowly as you can, catch yourself with your hands, and push back up. Start with a low volume, such as 2 sets of 5 once or twice a week, because unfamiliar Nordics cause a lot of soreness. Combine them with regular sprinting in training and a proper warm-up.

When to see a physio about a hamstring injury

Book an assessment if you’ve felt a sudden pain in the back of your thigh during sport, if you’re not walking normally after a couple of days, if you’ve had a hamstring injury before, or if you want to get back to sport quickly without it recurring. See someone the same week if you suspect a tendon tear near the sitting bone. You can read more on our hamstring injuries page.

How we treat hamstring injuries at Hauora

Your 45-minute assessment (£155) works out the type and severity of the injury, checks for tendon involvement and refers you for an MRI only if it will change the plan. You leave with a clear timeline and a staged rehab programme, starting the same day. We progress your strength and running week by week, and where it helps we can use the anti-gravity AlterG treadmill in our building to start running earlier with less load. Before you go back, we test your sprinting, strength and confidence against clear targets. You’ll be seen by Geoff Scott or Jason Oliveira, both senior physiotherapists with elite-sport backgrounds.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a hamstring strain take to heal?

Most hamstring strains recover in two to eight weeks. Mild sprinting-type strains are at the shorter end. Stretching-type injuries and injuries involving the tendon take longer, sometimes several months.

Should I stretch a pulled hamstring?

Not hard, and not into pain, in the first few days. Gentle movement is fine. After that, loading the muscle in progressively longer positions with exercises like the extender, the diver and the glider does more than static stretching.

When can I run after a hamstring injury?

Usually within the first week or two, at an easy pace, as long as you can walk normally and jog without pain. Speed is then built up in steps until you can sprint at full speed without pain before returning to sport.

Do I need a scan for a hamstring injury?

Most people don’t. An MRI is useful if a tendon tear near the sitting bone is suspected, if the injury is severe, or for elite athletes where the exact grade changes the plan.

What is the best exercise to prevent hamstring injuries?

The Nordic hamstring exercise. Programmes that include it cut hamstring injuries by up to 51% across a range of sports. Combine it with regular sprinting and a good warm-up.

Why do hamstring injuries keep coming back?

Usually because of going back too soon, not enough sprinting before returning, or strength that hasn’t fully recovered. Finishing rehab properly, passing return-to-sport tests and keeping up Nordic hamstring work all reduce the risk.

Hamstring injury physio in Primrose Hill, St John’s Wood and Belsize Park

If a hamstring injury is keeping you out of sport, book an assessment at Hauora, an independent physiotherapy clinic at 44 Gloucester Avenue, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8JD. We’re close to Chalk Farm and Camden Town stations and easy to reach from St John’s Wood, Belsize Park, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead, Regent’s Park, Marylebone, Kentish Town and Maida Vale. Book online at hauora.com/book or call 020 4541 8924.

Finding us: Hauora is based inside the At The Core building, but we’re a separate business from At The Core. We share the building and the phone number, so when you call, please ask for Hauora.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you’re injured or unwell, see a doctor or physiotherapist.