Hamstring injuries are quite common among athletes across a broad spectrum of sports and at all levels—professional, amateur and recreational. The good news is there are effective treatments for these muscle injuries that can help players get back in the game safely. Better yet, there are ways to prevent hamstring injuries in the first place.

It may surprise you to know “the hamstring” isn’t a single muscle, but a group of three that extend along the back part of the thigh, from hip to knee. These muscles are the conduit by which you can bend at the knee. You can’t run or jump without the work of the hamstring. When a hamstring strain or tear occurs, one or more of the muscles or tendons involved has gotten overloaded. If the strain is severe enough, the pain can be significant and may even prevent walking or standing properly. When you’ve “pulled a hammy,” you’re likely to know it—and never forget it. So how are these injuries best treated and prevented?

First, to accurately diagnose a potential hamstring injury, visit a sports medicine physician for an examination. If it turns out you have a hamstring injury, there are different treatments that can help you heal more quickly and effectively.

Be sure to recognize, though, that it can take time to properly heal. You can actively help the healing process by resting the leg and not engaging in sports or vigorous activity that stresses an already injured hamstring. That might sound like simple advice, but all too often injuries are reaggravated, or even worsened, because an athlete returns to a sport too soon. It’s important to see a doctor experienced in treating these types of injuries to get a roadmap for returning to sports successfully.

Sometimes athletes with these injuries will initially feel better with RICE (rest, ice, compress and elevate) treatment of the affected leg. But physical therapy also can help accelerate the healing process and improve your chances of returning to your sport successfully.

For more severe hamstring injuries that don’t improve sufficiently with these treatments alone, other options are available. Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics provides platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for some hamstring injuries. It involves drawing a small amount of blood and using a special machine to concentrate the platelets and other important healing components. The PRP is then re-injected into the patient at the area of injury with ultrasound guidance to help stimulate the body’s healing response.

In some cases where there is a more significant tear of the hamstring tendon, surgery may be recommended to repair the tendon and reattach it to the bone. While the need for surgery is less common, our physicians have a breadth of training and experience in the surgical treatment of hamstring injuries suffered by professional athletes as well as weekend warriors.

Muscle tightness, imbalance, fatigue and poor conditioning can significantly raise the risk of a hamstring injury. However, physical therapy exercises and an eccentric strengthening routine, which involves lengthening the muscles, can play an important role in prevention. These strategies are far more effective, and far less painful, than sustaining a hamstring injury, and they can help you keep participating in the sport or activity that you love.

Read: Safety Tips to Get the Most Out of Exercise and Reduce Injury Risks