Hamstring Injury Mechanisms and Eccentric Training-Induced Muscle Adaptations: Current Insights and Future Directions

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Hamstring injuries are prevalent in athletes, with high recurrence rates.
• Understanding injury mechanisms, particularly during the late swing phase of running, is crucial for prevention.
• Current prevention strategies need refinement due to incomplete knowledge of underlying causes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the causes of hamstring injuries.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of eccentric training in reducing hamstring injury risk.
• To explore muscle adaptations from eccentric training relevant to injury prevention.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of existing literature.
• Examination of biomechanical factors during hamstring injury.
• Analysis of muscle adaptations induced by eccentric training.

Main Results:

• Hamstring injuries often occur during the late swing phase due to neural activation issues or inability to decelerate.
• Eccentric training may reduce injury risk, but research has focused narrowly on fascicle lengthening.
• Significant gaps exist in understanding neural and non-contractile element adaptations to eccentric training.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced hamstring injury prevention requires a broader focus beyond architectural changes.
• Further research into functional, regional, neural, and non-contractile adaptations is essential.
• A comprehensive understanding of eccentric training's effects can improve injury prevention strategies and reduce incidence.