Thigh/Muscle Injuries

Abstract

Hamstring injuries are amongst the most frequent lesions in sports. Theoretically, we can divide the thigh into several muscle groups, some of which are biarticular (e.g. biceps, rectus femoris) and others which are monoarticular (e.g. vastus medialis, crural, adductor) with or without intramuscular tendon. It is important to keep these concepts in mind in order to understand the biomechanics, aetiology, pathologies and prognosis of injuries. Injuries frequently involve the hamstring muscles because they are biarticular. Additionally, one of the muscles in the group, the semitendinosus, shows an intramuscular tendon. On the other hand, monoarticular muscles have fewer injuries. Usually injury mechanism includes an eccentric contraction or discoordination. In order to properly diagnose, the physician must know how the injury occurred, study images to differentiate the site of lesion, if it is within the muscle fibre, the muscle-tendon junction or the tendon itself, as well as what healing stage the muscle is in. Based on this, the prognosis will be different. In relation to prescribed treatment, we must adapt to the site of injury and the biological stage of repair/regeneration of muscle/tendon. To prevent such events, proprioception, stretching, coordination and sound nutrition and hydration should be coherently addressed.