• Sharp pain behind the knee
• Pain along the lower hamstring
• Feeling or hearing a pop
• Tightness in the hamstring
• Weakness when bending the knee
• Pain while sprinting
• Pain during running
• Pain when jumping
• Pain while climbing stairs
• Pain when slowing down after running
• Swelling behind the knee

• A Distal Hamstring Tendon Injury usually feels like a sudden sharp pain near the back of your knee. Some athletes feel or hear a pop when the injury happens. Afterward the area may feel sore
• tight
• or weak. It may hurt to run
• sprint
• bend your knee
• climb stairs
• or push off your leg. A more serious tear can cause swelling
• bruising
• and trouble walking normally.

• Sprinting at full speed
• Suddenly stopping while running
• Changing direction quickly
• Jumping or landing awkwardly
• Slipping while running
• Overstretching the hamstring
• Returning to sports before a hamstring injury has healed
• Weak hamstring muscles
• Tired muscles late in games or practices

• Did I feel a sharp pain behind my knee while running?
• Did I hear or feel a pop?
• Does bending my knee hurt?
• Does sprinting make the pain worse?
• Is the back of my knee swollen or bruised?
• Am I limping when I walk?
• Does my leg feel weaker than normal?

Educational only — not a medical diagnosis.

1. 1Stop playing right away so the tendon does not tear more
2. 2Put an ice pack on the back of your knee for 15 to 20 minutes every few hours during the first two days
3. 3Wrap your knee or lower hamstring with a compression sleeve to help reduce swelling
4. 4Keep your leg raised on a pillow when resting
5. 5Avoid sprinting jumping cutting and hard workouts until you can walk without pain
6. 6If walking is painful use crutches until your doctor or physical therapist says it is safe to walk normally
7. 7Begin gentle knee bending exercises once the sharp pain starts to improve so your knee does not become stiff
8. 8Start easy strengthening exercises like heel digs or hamstring isometric holds bridges and resistance band hamstring curls as your pain improves
9. 9Ride a stationary bike with light resistance before returning to running because it places less stress on the tendon

• If you heard a loud pop during the injury
• If you cannot bend your knee normally
• If you cannot walk without limping
• If you have a lot of swelling or bruising
• If your leg feels very weak
• If your pain gets worse instead of better
• If your symptoms do not improve after several days

• Warm up before every practice with light jogging leg swings and butt kicks
• Strengthen your hamstrings with bridges heel digs hamstring curls and Romanian deadlifts once your therapist says they are safe
• Improve hip and core strength with planks clamshells and band walks to reduce stress on the hamstrings
• Stretch your hamstrings gently only after the sharp pain is gone and your provider says it is safe
• Use a foam roller on your glutes and hamstrings after activity to reduce muscle tightness but avoid rolling directly over a painful tendon
• Slowly increase your running speed and distance instead of returning to full speed right away
• Practice jogging sprinting cutting and jumping drills before returning to games
• Do not return to sports until you can run sprint jump and change directions without pain or weakness