Hamstrings injuries are a real pain the butt. And quite literally, the most common hamstring injury gives you a sharp pain at the top of the hamstring muscle near the glute.
This hamstring injury is called high hamstring tendinopathy and is one of the most common repetitive stress injuries among runners.
Considering that the hamstring muscle group is one of the largest in the body (the glutes are the largest), it has a significant impact on your ability to run. Even with a mild hamstring strain, running can become incredibly painful.
To prevent hamstring injuries from being chronic, it’s smart to implement a combination of:
- Runner-specific strength training
- Intelligent training decisions
To help us think better about our hamstrings, I’m excited to welcome fellow running coach, podcaster, and Doctor of Physical Therapy Duane Scotti to the podcast!
Duane is the owner of Spark Physical Therapy in New Haven, CT and host of the Healthy Runner Podcast.
Duane initially started running as an adult, wanting to add some cardio to his gym sessions. After having a hip surgery, his doctor advised him to get off the treadmill and run outside. Without having fully recovered, Duane suffered a running-related hamstring tendon injury.
Through his own rehabilitation and his work as a physical therapist, Duane continues to set Personal Bests in his running career. He joins us today to have a deep-dive conversation about tight hamstrings and hamstring injuries.
Duane Scotti on Building Strong Hamstrings
In this episode, we dive deep on hamstrings:
- the root causes of hamstring injuries
- how to strengthen them (and his favorite hamstring exercise)
- prevention advice (it’s far easier to prevent than treat an injury!)
- common myths about rehabilitation
Duane not only has the clinical expertise to evaluate and treat hamstring injuries but the coaching expertise to design training that better protects you from hurting this important muscle group.
We’ll also discuss why tight hamstrings are sometimes falsely labeled an injury, why glute strength is intimately tied to hamstring health, and how “rest” is rarely the treatment for injuries.
Duane and Jason also talk about:
- Why runners with hamstring issues should think twice about pool running
- Can heavy shoes impact your hamstring health?
- The most effective hamstring exercises for runners
- When runners can use NSAIDS and when to avoid them
This episode contains many takeaways for new and seasoned runners. I hope you will find it to be as useful as I did. Thanks for tuning in!
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or Google Play.
Show Links & Resources:
- Check out Duane’s website at SPARK Physical Therapy
- Duane’s Healthy Runner Facebook group
- See exercise videos on his YouTube channel
- Healthy Runner podcast
- Everything you need to know about tight hamstrings
- Our best injury prevention advice
Thank You PATH Projects
I also want to express my gratitude for the ongoing support from PATH Projects. They make affordable running gear that’s incredibly high quality. You can find everything from running shorts to headwear on their site.
Currently, I’m wearing the Sykes 5″ Shorts (see them in action in this video), the Pyrinees hooded sweatshirt, and the Torch base liner. Their gear is unique, stylish, and a premium quality that feels great to wear. And because they are a direct to consumer shop, PATH skips the retail markup and keeps prices affordable.
I personally love how functional their gear is – both for running and wearing around the house. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed!
