A hamstring injury occurs when you strain or pull one of your hamstring muscles- the group of muscles that run along the back of your thigh that allow you to bend your leg at the knee. During a hamstring strain, one or more of these muscles get stretched too far and sometimes the muscles might even start to tear. A person is more likely to get a hamstring strain during exercise that involves a lot of running, jumping or sudden stopping and starting.

Mild hamstring strains may not hurt too much, severe ones can be excruciating making it impossible to walk or even stand. Other symptoms of a hamstring strain include:

• Sudden and severe pain during exercise along with a popping and snapping feeling
• Tenderness
• Pain in lower buttocks and back of the thigh when walking, bending or straightening the leg
• Bruising or discoloration

Here are a few self help measures:

• Ice your leg to reduce the pain and swelling for about 20-30 minutes every three to four hours until the pain is gone.
• Rest the leg and avoid putting weight on the leg.
• Use an elastic bandage around the leg to keep down swelling.
• Elevate your leg by using a pillow whenever you're sitting or lying down.

Contact your doctor if you can't bear any weight on your injured leg and if you're unable to walk!