does ligaments cure by itself?

[Shaolin Dude]

I think I overstretched my ligaments and it feels sore right now.

[fa_jing]

rest and massage

Stretching, by the way, should target the muscles and not the ligaments.

[David Jamieson]

Info from the medical site of medical goodness.

Ligaments (An Overview)
A ligament is a tough band of white, fibrous, slightly elastic tissue. This is an essential part of the skeletal joints; binding the bone ends together to prevent dislocation and excessive movement that might cause breakage. Ligaments also support many internal organs; including the uterus, the bladder, the liver, and the diaphragm and helps in shaping and supporting the breasts. Ligaments, especially those in the ankle joint and knee, are sometimes damaged by injury. A "torn" ligament usually results from twisting stress when the knee is turned while weight is on that particular leg. Minor sprains are treated with ice, bandages and sometimes physical therapy, but if the ligament is torn, the joint may be placed in a plaster cast to allow time to heal or it may require surgical repairs. If a ligament is made up of several thick bands of fibrous branches, it is called a "collateral ligament." The word "ligament" comes from the Latin word, "ligamentum," meaning a band or tie.

you are most welcome.

that is all

[Shaolin Dude]

I meant I was trying to stretch my hamstring but I always seem to stretch my ligaments. it's the stretch where you are kneeling put one leg straight out and stretch that legs hamstring

[Toby]

Bend your knees a bit. Pavel's stretching book says that e.g. for hammies if you feel a stretch behind your knees you're hitting the ligaments. If you feel it several inches above your knees, it's muscles. So (for me), if I were standing up trying to touch my toes with knees locked back, I feel it intensely behind my knees. I introduce a slight bend into my knees and the behind-the-knees feeling goes. Then I can concentrate on tilting my pelvis to stretch the hammies and the stretch feeling goes to the several-inches-above-knees area.

[Ford Prefect]

Toby is correct. When you stretch your hamstrings and you feel it right behind your knee, you are actually stretching your tendon (connects muscle to bone: ligament connects bone to bone). A rip to the tendon or ligament heals extremely slowly. In many cases, once healed it will be much weaker than before and more apt to tear again. Be careful when stretching! Stretch your muscles not ligaments/tendons.

[norther practitioner]

In many cases, once healed it will be much weaker than before and more apt to tear again. Be careful when stretching! Stretch your muscles not ligaments/tendons.

And tougher, scarred, and lose some elasticity.

[Toby]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
...you are actually stretching your tendon (connects muscle to bone: ligament connects bone to bone).Thought it might be :p. I wasn't exactly sure what runs right behind the knee there. Are these tendons connecting the hamstring to the *whatever it's called at the back of the knee - posterior equivalent of the patella*?

[IronFist]

Stretching muscles = good

Stretching anything else = bad

[Shaolin Dude]

my ligaments are better now. I didn't feel the click when I walk

[rubthebuddha]

what do you feel helped the most?

[Shaolin Dude]

I really didn't do anything to heal the sprain.