Hamstring strain: why summer padel and tennis cause this injury on the Costa del Sol and how to recover properly

By Physio Flora — Physiotherapist & Sports Performance Specialist, Riviera del Sol & Marbella, Costa del Sol

Reading time: approx. 7 minutes

It happens in a split second. You lunge wide for a drop shot or sprint back for a lob, and you feel a sudden sharp pull through the back of your thigh. You finish the point, maybe even the set, but walking to the net afterwards already feels different.

This is a hamstring strain, and it is one of the most common injuries we see in padel and tennis players during the summer season. The good news is that, with the right rehabilitation, most hamstring strains heal fully and rarely come back.

Costa del Sol is famous for its many tennis and padel courts.

In this guide, you'll find:

• The most common causes of hamstring strain in padel and tennis players

• How we diagnose the grade and root cause at Physio Flora

• Our physiotherapy treatment options for hamstring strain

• Three physiotherapist-approved exercises to start today

• Answers to the questions our patients ask most

What is a hamstring strain and why summer sport increases the risk

Your hamstrings are a group of three muscles running down the back of your thigh, from your sit bone to just below your knee. They contract powerfully every time you sprint, lunge, or change direction on the court. As a result, they are also one of the most frequently strained muscle groups in racket sports.

A strain happens when muscle fibres are stretched beyond their limit, usually while the muscle is lengthening and decelerating the leg at speed. For example, the moment you plant your foot to chase a wide ball is exactly when the hamstring is working hardest and is most vulnerable.

Summer adds extra risk on the Costa del Sol. Padel and tennis bookings rise sharply once the season heats up, and many players, including visitors who only play during their summer holiday here, suddenly increase how often they play. In addition, heat and dehydration make muscles fatigue faster, which reduces the hamstring's ability to absorb sudden load. Therefore, the combination of more matches, more heat, and less conditioning makes summer the season we treat the most hamstring strains.

Common causes of hamstring strain in padel and tennis players

• A sudden increase in playing frequency. Going from playing once a week to daily padel on holiday gives the hamstring no time to adapt.

• Skipping a proper warm-up. Feeling warm from the outdoor heat is not the same as preparing the muscle and tendon for explosive sprints.

• A previous hamstring strain that was not fully rehabilitated. This is the single biggest risk factor we see in clinic, since an incompletely healed strain is far more likely to recur.

• Reduced eccentric strength. The hamstring's main job is controlling deceleration. If it cannot do this well, the fibres tear under sudden load.

• Fatigue late in a match. Most strains happen in the final games of a set, when technique breaks down and muscles are tired.

  
  

Because of this combination of factors, hamstring strains often feel completely random. However, there is almost always an underlying pattern we can identify and address.

How we diagnose the grade and root cause at Physio Flora

When you come in with a suspected hamstring strain, we begin with a detailed assessment to confirm the diagnosis and grade the severity. This typically includes:

• Palpation and resisted muscle testing to locate exactly which of the three hamstring muscles is affected.

• Flexibility and strength testing, comparing both legs to identify imbalances that may have contributed to the injury.

• Movement and sprint mechanics screening, since how you accelerate and decelerate on court often reveals the underlying cause.

• Grading the strain from grade I (mild fibre damage) to grade III (a complete tear), which determines the expected recovery timeline.

• A review of your training history, including any previous hamstring injuries and how they were managed.
  

This thorough approach matters because Flora's background in EXOS sports performance coaching means we look beyond the torn muscle itself. We assess the movement patterns that put it under strain in the first place.

Our physiotherapy treatment options for hamstring strain

Treatment is guided by the grade of your strain and how your tissue responds as healing progresses. In addition, we plan your return to padel or tennis from the very first session, not as an afterthought.

Manual therapy. In the early phase, gentle manual therapy helps manage pain and muscle tone around the injured area without overloading healing tissue.

Dry needling. Targeted dry needling reduces tightness and trigger points that develop in the hamstring and surrounding muscles as they compensate for the injury.

Shockwave therapy. For strains that become chronic, particularly those affecting the tendon near the sit bone, shockwave therapy stimulates healing in tissue that has stopped progressing on its own.

Progressive eccentric strengthening. We build a structured programme, including Nordic hamstring curl progressions, since eccentric strengthening is the single most evidence-based way to reduce re-injury risk.

Sports performance coaching. Drawing on her EXOS qualification, Flora retrains sprint mechanics and movement patterns on court, so the same strain does not happen again next season. This combination of hands-on treatment and structured loading is why our patients return to full match play with confidence, rather than playing cautiously out of fear of reinjury.

Hamstring injuries are very common in racket sports.

Three physiotherapist-approved exercises to start today

Try these gently, and stop if any exercise sharply increases your pain.

1. Isometric hamstring bridge hold. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips into a bridge and hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat four times. This builds pain-free strength early in recovery.
   

2. Standing band hamstring curl. Anchor a light resistance band at ankle height, loop it around your ankle, and slowly curl your heel toward your glute. Complete three sets of 12 per leg. This rebuilds isolated hamstring strength under control.
   

3. Single-leg Romanian deadlift. Hold a chair for balance and hinge forward on one leg, reaching toward the floor with a soft bend in the knee. Return to standing and repeat 10 times per side. This trains the hamstring eccentrically, in the same way it works when sprinting for a ball.
   

Answers to the questions our patients ask most

Can I keep playing padel or tennis with a hamstring strain? It depends on the grade. With mild strains, we often allow modified play alongside rehabilitation. With more significant strains, a short break from the court allows the tissue to heal properly first.

How long does a hamstring strain take to heal? Grade I strains typically recover in one to three weeks. Grade II strains usually take four to eight weeks. Grade III, a complete tear, can take several months and occasionally needs specialist referral.

Will rest alone fix it? Rest reduces pain, but it does not rebuild the strength needed to handle sprinting safely. Without targeted rehabilitation, the reinjury rate for hamstring strains is high.

How do I know if it's a grade I, II, or III strain? A thorough assessment can usually tell. However, sudden severe pain, visible bruising, or an inability to walk normally are signs you should be seen quickly.

How can I prevent this happening again this summer? Build hamstring strength gradually, warm up properly before every match regardless of the heat, and increase your playing frequency in steps rather than all at once.

A hamstring strain does not have to end your summer on the court. At Physio Flora, we combine thorough clinical assessment with evidence-based treatment and a genuine understanding of the active, outdoor lifestyle that brings people to, and keeps people on, the Costa del Sol. We see patients from Riviera del Sol, Marbella, Fuengirola, Estepona, Benalmádena, Mijas Pueblo, and across the region.

No referral needed. English-language consultations. Appointments available this week.

Website: www.physioflora.es Phone: +34 711 059 592 Email: hello@physioflora.es Clinic locations: Riviera del Sol (Urb Balcon del Golf, c/ Topacio 2, local 1-2, 29649, Riviera del Sol, Mijas) Marbella (inside: The Clubhouse Marbella, c/ Juan Belmonte, Nueva Andalusia)

Strong hamstrings keep you sprinting for every ball, all summer long.

Physio Flora · English, Dutch, German and Spanish-speaking physiotherapy on the Costa del Sol · Specialising in padel, tennis, and sports injury rehabilitation