HAMSTRING REHABILITATION

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8 9

10 11

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Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale No exertion at all Extremely light

Very light Light Somewhat hard Hard (heavy) Very hard

Extremely hard Maximal exertion

Related SportEX articles ● Diagnosis of posterior thigh pain – SportEX Medicine issue 10 ● Core stability exercises for footballers – SportEX Medicine issue 10 ● The PRICE of healing – SportEX Health issue 10 ● PRICE advice leaflet – Pitchside Set 1

References 1. Best T and Garrett W. Hamstring strains: Expediting return to play. The Physician and Sports Medicine 1996;24:8 2. Thompson L. Predisposition to hamstring injury cannot be determined. Exercise Physiology 2000;652 (http://physiotherapy.curtin.edu.au/academic/ep652_00/hamstr.html) 3. Ekstrand J and Gillquist J. Soccer injuries and their mecha- nisms: a prospective study. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 1983;15:267-270 4. Pinniger GL, Steele JR and Groeller H. Does fatigue induced by repeated dynamic efforts affect hamstring muscle function? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2000;32:647-653 5. Burkett L. Causative factors of hamstring strains. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 1970;2:39-42 6. Heiser T et al. Prophylaxis and management of hamstring muscle injuries in intercollegiate football players. American Journal of Sports Medicine 1984;12:368- 370 7. Orchard J et al. Preseason ham- string muscle weakness associated with hamstring muscle injury in Australian footballers. American Journal of Sports Medicine 1997;25:81-85 8. Heftler, J. and Saulino, M. Hamstring strain. eMedicine Journal 2001;Vol.2 No.8 9. Borg, GAV. Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales. Champaign Illinois. Human Kinetics 1998.

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0.3 0.5 1

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Extremely strong Maximum pain Extremely strong Maximum pain

Don Gatherer, Grad Dip Phys, MCSP, SRP, MBAcC, SRAc graduated as a chartered physiotherapist in 1969 and as a traditional chinese acupuncturist in 1976. He started his international sports medicine career in Singapore in 1971 when he looked after the touring England rugby team and has been with England ever since, currently as con- sultant physiotherapist.

He has also traveled with the Great Britain Athletic Team for 12 years and was chief physiotherapist to the Great Britain Olympic teams and the England Commonwealth Games teams. He has also teamed up with Australian F1 racing driver Mark Webber who is now driving in the 2002 F1 Grand Prix Championship.

Kerry Peek, BSc (Hons), MCSP, SRP gradu- ated in physiotherapy in 1997 and traveled to Australia to work as a physiotherapist in private practice, as well as tutoring physiotherapy undergraduates at the University of South Australia. She has been chief physiother- apist of the South Australian grid-iron team and the Adelaide Razorbacks.

She now contributes to the design and implementation of the training programmes for a number of international athletes involved in numerous sports including rugby union, Formula 1, British bobsleigh, paralympic cycling, women’s golf and grid-

iron.

Borg Pain Rating CR10 Scale Nothing at all Extremely weak Very weak Very light

Weak Moderate Strong Very strong Heavy Heavy Light

No pain Pain just noticeable