You may be aware of a sudden pain in the back of your thigh while you are exercising, or you may develop a very slight pain that gradually gets worse the more you exercise.

Hamstring injuries can be confused with referred pain from a back problem. However, hamstring injuries only hurt when you are using the muscles, whereas pain related to back problems can occur at any time, even when you are sitting still.

After an injury, bruising may appear over the next few days with perhaps some swelling. If there is a severe tear, a knot of tissue may form a bump in the back of the thigh when you try to bend your knee.

It is important to rest hamstrings after they have been injured. In many cases the muscles will heal without medical attention, although in some cases the injury may be so painful at first that painkillers are needed.

Muscle-relaxant drugs and the use of a support bandage can also help.