Preventing Hamstring Injuries in Sport

Brughelli M, Cronin  J

Summary
Hamstring injuries can be devastating for athletes and sports teams. Recent advances in technology have greatly enhanced our understanding of how and why hamstring injuries occur. Based on this information, professional sports teams have implemented various training interventions in an attempt to reduce the rate of hamstring injuries with varying success. Reviewing the recent literature on hamstring injuries and the studies that have reported decreases in injury rates could give further insight into how hamstring injures can be prevented and thus is the focus of this article.

CONCLUSIONS

Hamstring injury rates can be reduced if an appropriate eccentric exercise protocol is followed. The exercises presented in this article have been developed based on the current literature that has shown increases in optimum length of tension development and reductions in hamstring injury rates. In addition to the reductions in injuries, a few studies have reported that hamstring injuries were less severe after an eccentric exercise protocol. Furthermore, the inclusion of such eccentric exercises may accelerate the recovery from hamstring injury and return to play. Both contentions, however, must be monitored in some fashion to be certain of the efficacy of the inclusion of eccentric exercises. These new and alternative exercises are not meant to replace any other modes or methods of training. Instead, they can simply be added to current training programs. The addition of 2 eccentric exercises per week (1 per session) should be an easy adjustment to the training program, which could lead to dramatic decreases in muscle strain injury rates.

Strength and Conditioning Journal:Volume 30(1)February 2008pp 55-64 – abstract

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Filed under: Exercise, Injuries, Prevention, Soft-tissue injuries

Is ice right? Does cryotherapy improve outcome for acute soft tissue injury?

N C Collins

Aims: The use of ice or cryotherapy in the management of acute soft tissue injuries is widely accepted and widely practised. This review was conducted to examine the medical literature to investigate if there is evidence to support an improvement in clinical outcome following the use of ice or cryotherapy.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed and all human and animal trials or systematic reviews pertaining to soft tissue trauma, ice or cryotherapy were assessed. The clinically relevant outcome measures were (1) a reduction in pain; (2) a reduction in swelling or oedema; (3) improved function; or (4) return to participation in normal activity.

Results: Six relevant trials in humans were identified, four of which lacked randomisation and blinding. There were two well conducted randomised controlled trials, one showing supportive evidence for the use of a cooling gel and the other not reaching statistical significance. Four animal studies showed that modest cooling reduced oedema but excessive or prolonged cooling is damaging. There were two systematic reviews, one of which was inconclusive and the other suggested that ice may hasten return to participation.

Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to suggest that cryotherapy improves clinical outcome in the management of soft tissue injuries.

Emergency Medicine Journal 2008;25:65-68; doi:10.1136/emj.2007.051664 – abstract

Filed under: Ice, Soft-tissue injuries