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Acute and Chronic Hamstring Injuries

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Management of Track and Field Injuries

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Abstract

Acute and chronic hamstring injuries are common in athletics. Acute injuries account for 17.1% of all injuries. Chronic injuries (proximal hamstring tendinopathy) are seen less frequently, however, but true incidences are unknown. Acute injuries occur at the (from most frequent to less frequent) musculotendinous junction (MTJ), the intramuscular tendon and the free tendons (partial- or full-thickness injury). Proximal hamstring tendinopathy occurs in the proximal hamstring free tendons. Diagnosis of these injuries is mostly clinical but can be supported by imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound. Treatment for partial-thickness MTJ acute hamstring injuries is informed by 14 RCTs. For proximal hamstring tendinopathy and partial- or full-thickness free tendon injuries, there is little evidence to guide treatment. Cornerstone of treatment is physiotherapy-based interventions with progressive (eccentric) loading and activity modification, combined with expectation management. Surgery is usually reserved for full-thickness free tendon injuries. Other treatments such as platelet-rich plasma injections, corticosteroid injections and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication have little supportive evidence and should be avoided.

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Change history

  • 18 February 2022

    This book was inadvertently published with a typo in the book title: the term “injures” has been corrected to “Injuries”

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar

    Robin Vermeulen

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Robin Vermeulen, Anne D. van der Made & Gino M. M. J. Kerkhoffs

  3. Academic Center for Evidence-based Sports medicine (ACES), Amsterdam Movement Sciences Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Robin Vermeulen, Anne D. van der Made, Johannes L. Tol & Gino M. M. J. Kerkhoffs

  4. Amsterdam Collaboration for Health and Safety in Sports (ACHSS), AMC/VUmc IOC Research Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Robin Vermeulen, Anne D. van der Made, Johannes L. Tol & Gino M. M. J. Kerkhoffs

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  1. Robin Vermeulen
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  2. Anne D. van der Made
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  3. Johannes L. Tol
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  4. Gino M. M. J. Kerkhoffs
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Sports Traumatology, Koelliker Hospital, Torino, Italy

    Gian Luigi Canata

  2. Orthopedic Surgery, Aspire Zone, ASPETAR Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar

    Pieter D'Hooghe

  3. Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Colorado Health, Aurora, CO, USA

    Kenneth J. Hunt

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gino M. M. J. Kerkhoffs

  5. Orthopaedics and Traumatology Unit, University Campus Biomedico, Rome, Italy

    Umile Giuseppe Longo

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Vermeulen, R., van der Made, A.D., Tol, J.L., Kerkhoffs, G.M.M.J. (2022). Acute and Chronic Hamstring Injuries. In: Canata, G.L., D'Hooghe, P., Hunt, K.J., M. M. J. Kerkhoffs, G., Longo, U.G. (eds) Management of Track and Field Injuries. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60216-1_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60216-1_16

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