The hamstring muscle group consists of the bicep femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus. The hamstrings cross the hip and knee joints, and are located at the posterior of the thigh. The actions of the hamstrings are to flex the knee and extend the hip. Hamstring injuries are very common and occur during a variety of movements.
How Muscle Injuries Occur
Muscle injuries occur when muscles are activated and lengthened. Injuries will not occur if a muscle is passively lengthened or activated at short lengths. Due to the design of the hamstrings, they are lengthened during knee extension and hip flexion. The hamstrings are at the greatest risk of injury when these two movements occur simultaneously. Magnetic resonance imaging is often used to identify the location and severity of a soft tissue injury.
Sprinting Hamstring Injuries
Hamstring injuries are very common in sports that require maximum effort sprinting. The hamstrings are actively lengthened during sprinting as the airborne leg swings forward. During this movement, the hamstrings are in a vulnerable position as the hip is flexed and the knee extends simultaneously. The long head of the bicep femoris is the most commonly injured hamstring muscle during sprinting, according to an injury audit on 91 professional soccer clubs outlined in the "British Journal of Sport Medicine." The long head of the bicep femoris is located more proximal or closer to the hip joint, and experiences the most active lengthening as the leg swings forward.
Dancing Hamstring Injuries
Hamstring injuries are also very common among dancers. Dancing hamstring injuries usually occur during slow stretching exercises that are performed to extreme ranges of motion. Dancers are required to have extreme flexibility to perform at a high level. Dancing hamstring injuries typically involve the free tendon of the semimembraneous, located more distal or further from the hip joint. According to a recent study by Carl Askling outlined in the "British Journal of Sport Medicine," dancing and sprinting hamstring injuries have different effects of functional performance and recovery periods. Initially sprinting injuries resulted in more severe strength and flexibility deficits, but dancing injuries required a longer rehabilitation period.
Water Skiing Hamstring Injuries
Water skiers are at risk for the most severe hamstring injuries, which include complete ruptures or tears. Severe hamstring injuries are common among both novice and expert water skiers. Novice water skiers will often suffer hamstring injuries when the boat begins pulling them forward and they attempt to stand up. Expert water skiers will often suffer severe hamstring injuries during a fall or crash. In both cases, the water skier is pulled forward suddenly and forcefully. It is common for their knees to be fully extended as their upper bodies are pulled forward thus flexing the hips. Immediate medical attention is needed in the case of a complete hamstring rupture.
References
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; An Audit of Injuries in Professional Football---Analysis of Hamstring Injuries; C. Woods et. al.; 2004
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; Type of Acute Hamstring Strain Affects Flexibility, Strength, and Time to Return to Pre-Injury Level; C. Askling et.al.; 2006
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