The hamstring is also known medically as a tendon. Grade II strains are moderate injuries that require joint braking for 3 to 4 weeks to facilitate recovery.
Tendon is the part that connects muscle and bone. When trauma or sports injury occurs, it can cause different degrees of tearing of tendon fibers and fascia, which are clinically classified into 4 grades according to the degree of tearing:
Grade 1: A small amount of tendon fibers are torn, but the fascia is intact.
Grade 2: moderate amount of tendon fiber tears with no retraction of the severed ends and the fascia is intact.
Grade 3: A large number of tendon fibers are torn along with some fascial tears, and retraction of the severed ends is not evident.
Grade 4: complete rupture of fibers and fascia with significant retraction of the severed ends.
Therefore, the higher the degree of injury means the more serious the injury, clinically, grade 1, grade 2 injuries can be treated conservatively, using plaster immobilization for 3 to 4 weeks, and then gradually functional exercise. Grade 1 and 2 injuries can be treated conservatively with cast immobilization for 3 to 4 weeks, followed by gradual functional exercises. Grade 3 and 4 injuries often require surgery to rebuild the continuity of the tendon, and postoperative cast immobilization and braking to promote recovery.