The purpose of the study was to identify the most current evidence for risk factors for hamstring injury specifically in elite Australian rules football, and how this can guide hamstring injury prevention measures for this population. Recent studies were identified using a comprehensive search of the Australian Catholic University combined online databases and were included if they looked at risk factors and/or prevention strategies for hamstring injury in elite AFL footballers. 12 studies met the inclusion criteria for risk factors and 4 studies met the inclusion criteria for prevention. Recent highquality studies on hamstring injury prevention in other elite sports were also utilised to help guide prevention strategies for the AFL population, where research was lacking. Results identified low eccentric hamstring strength, short biceps femoris muscle fascicle length, previous hamstring injury, advancing age, high-speed running, running exposure, repeated kicking and inadequate recovery time following a match as risk factors for hamstring strain in Australian footballers. From the findings implementing an eccentric hamstring strength program, combining both a knee flexion dominant and a hip extension dominant exercise, with particular emphasis on the biceps long head muscle, will be effective in prevention of hamstring injuries in AFL footballers. Recommended exercises include a single leg 45-degree hip extension or RDL for hip dominant, and the Nordic exercise for knee dominant. This is of particular importance for the footballer with a previous hamstring injury within the last 3 years. Other recommended prevention strategies include athlete hamstring monitoring and testing to guide decision making, appropriate planning and caution with high-speed running and running exposure loads, increasing horizontal ground force production in previously injured limbs, and caution with total kicking volume and intensity.
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