What Physical Therapists NEED to Know About Hamstring Strain Injuries

By dpope2020

October 24, 2025

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What Physical Therapists NEED to Know About Hamstring Strain Injuries

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In today's video we go over, What Physical Therapists NEED to Know About Hamstring Strain Injuries - FPF Show Episode 182:

  • 0:00 Introduction
  • 2:28 Which sports and what activities are hamstring strains common in?
  • 3:16 How common are hamstring strains (incidence) & what percentage of all field sport injuries are hamstring strains?
  • 5:59 Are injuries higher in match play or practice?
  • 7:16 What is the typical time loss from sport from a hamstring strain injury?
  • 8:00 What are the re-injury rates after returning from a hamstring strain injury?
  • 8:30 How much more likely are patients to have a future hamstring injury after having a previous injury?
  • 10:37 Which hamstring muscle is most commonly involved in hamstring strain injuries?
  • 11:18 What is the most common mechanism of injury for hamstring strain injuries?
  • 14:00 Does having a hamstring strain change the structure of the muscle after injury?
  • 15:41 What does a hamstring strain injury look like? (bruising & swelling)
  • 19:50 What are the non-modifiable risk factors increasing risk of a hamstring strain injury?
  • 26:10 What are the modifiable risk factors for increasing the risk of hamstring strain injuries?
  • 46:24 When is surgery recommended after hamstring strain injury?
  • 48:20 What factors increase risk of re-injury most?
  • 52:44 What are some return to sport tests and criteria that can determine when athletes are ready to get back to sport after hamstring strain injury?
  • 54:16 What factors at the time of initial injury will dictate how long it will take to return to play after hamstring strain injury?
  • 57:52 Which factors were most predictive of those who return to play after hamstring strain injury?
  • 1:01:23 Patellofemoral Pain MASTER Class

I'm feeling all Hamstrung Out...

- Dan Pope DPT,OCS,CSCS

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Dan Pope DPT, OCS, CSCS

References: 

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  2. Boltz AJ, Hooper N, Satalich J, Cheatham S, O'Connell R, Rao N, Garcia RE, Collins CL, Chandran A. Epidemiology of Hamstring Tears in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes: Findings From the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program Between 2014/2015 and 2018/2019. Clin J Sport Med. 2024 Sep 1;34(5):444-453. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000001240. Epub 2024 Jun 19. PMID: 38896546.

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  4. Timmins RG, Shield AJ, Williams MD, Opar DA. Is there evidence to support the use of the angle of peak torque as a marker of hamstring injury and re-injury risk? Sports Med. 2016;46:7-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s40279-015-0378-8

  5. Danielsson A, Horvath A, Senorski C, Alentorn-Geli E, Garrett WE, Cugat R, Samuelsson K, Hamrin Senorski E. The mechanism of hamstring injuries - a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2020 Sep 29;21(1):641. doi: 10.1186/s12891-020-03658-8. PMID: 32993700; PMCID: PMC7526261.

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  7. Opar DA, Williams MD, Timmins RG, Hickey J, Duhig SJ, Shield AJ. Eccentric hamstring strength and hamstring injury risk in Australian footballers. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Apr;47(4):857-65. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000465. PMID: 25137368.

  8. Ahmad CS, Dick RW, Snell E, Kenney ND, Curriero FC, Pollack K, Albright JP, Mandelbaum BR. Major and Minor League Baseball Hamstring Injuries: Epidemiologic Findings From the Major League Baseball Injury Surveillance System. Am J Sports Med. 2014 Jun;42(6):1464-70. doi: 10.1177/0363546514529083. Epub 2014 Apr 11. PMID: 24727933.

  9. Duhig S, Shield AJ, Opar D, Gabbett TJ, Ferguson C, Williams M. Effect of high-speed running on hamstring strain injury risk. Br J Sports Med. 2016 Dec;50(24):1536-1540. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095679. Epub 2016 Jun 10. PMID: 27288515.

  10. Allahabadi S, Salazar LM, Obioha OA, Fenn TW, Chahla J, Nho SJ. Hamstring Injuries: A Current Concepts Review: Evaluation, Nonoperative Treatment, and Surgical Decision Making. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Mar;52(3):832-844. doi: 10.1177/03635465231164931. Epub 2023 Apr 24. PMID: 37092718.

  11. de Visser HM, Reijman M, Heijboer MP, Bos PK. Risk factors of recurrent hamstring injuries: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2012 Feb;46(2):124-30. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2011-090317. Epub 2011 Oct 19. PMID: 22011915.

  12. Jacobsen P, Witvrouw E, Muxart P, Tol JL, Whiteley R. A combination of initial and follow-up physiotherapist examination predicts physician-determined time to return to play after hamstring injury, with no added value of MRI. Br J Sports Med. 2016 Apr;50(7):431-9. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095073. Epub 2016 Feb 3. PMID: 26843538.

  13. Cardenas, D. (2010, October 2). *2010-10-02 pulled hamstring.jpg* [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY 3.0. Retrieved September 1, 2025, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11664111

  14. Hamstring image: Rodgers CD, Raja A. Hamstring Muscles [Internet]. Updated 2023 Apr 1. In: Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Hamstring Muscle. StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. Figure, Hamstring Muscles. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546688/figure/article-36086.image.f1/