Health Tip: Strained Hamstring?

Injuries are common in the hamstring -- the muscle at the back of the thigh -- notably among athletes.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons mentions these common symptoms of hamstring injury:

• A severe and sudden pain in the back of the thigh, particularly if running at full speed.
• Swelling of the hamstring that usually appears within a few hours of the injury.
• A discoloration of the skin that appears below the back of the knee within a few days of the injury.
• Feeling that the hamstring muscle is weak.