I pulled my hamstring what could i do to help it?!

I pulled my hamstring what could i do to help it?

I pulled it running cross country the other day and my doctor told me to take 2-3 weeks off but i want to go back our and run sooner. What should i do?

From an aging, former Strong Safety (who has had more than his share of pulled hamstrings):

Unless you have some very expensive machines to stimulate the muscle tissue repairing itself, you need to follow your doctor's advice. One way to shorten the healing process ever so slightly is to ensure that you get plenty of rest, eat a balanced diet, and that you keep the leg elevated higher than your heart as much as possible until any swelling goes away. I've also found that for all sorts of muscle tears, alternating between hot and cold packs seems to stimulate regeneration.

After the injury heals, take great care to stretch your legs fully before running again. Hamstring 'pulls' (actually a tear of the muscle tissue) can easily reoccur if you try to run again too soon, or if you don't stretch properly before you run. Remember that getting well so you can help your cross country team is more important than running before your body is ready.

Good luck to you in your speedy recovery.