Symptoms: You'll feel a sudden, searing pain and tightness in the muscle and not be able to bear full weight on the affected limb or bring it through the normal range of motion. A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon (unlike a sprain, which affects ligament tissue).
Cause: Whether hamstring, quads, or any other muscle, strains or pulls come from not being flexible, overexerting specific muscles, not warming up enough, doing too much hill work, or suddenly increasing your mileage.
Treatment: R.I.C.E. is the best treatment for mild to moderate strains. If you don't see improvement within two weeks, it could be a muscle pull, which requires a doctor's care.
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