Hamstring muscle strains are frequent in different sports and are the single most common injury in professional football. Several studies have indicated that hamstring strains are frequent in track and field as well, especially among sprinters and jumpers. The re-injury rate is high, which in most cases probably indicates inadequate rehabilitation programme and/or a premature return to sport. Hamstring strains are a heterogeneous group, especially in terms of the different types of injuries, injury location and size. A majority of the strains are located in the proximal part of the hamstring muscles/tendons and the anatomy is complex, characterised by overlapping tendons and structural interrelations between the hamstrings muscles. Different sports put different demands on the hamstrings, for example, the elite sprinter probably needs full functional recovery after injury before competing again, but a football player can possibly play again without 100% restored function.
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