Hamstrung but Not Out: A Track Star's Sprint Through a Rare Tendon Tear

Hamstring injuries are common among athletes; however, complete tears of the semitendinosus are rare. Given the infrequency of these injuries, there is no consistent treatment algorithm. For athletes pursuing conservative, non-surgical management, physical therapy and rest may facilitate shorter recovery times. We present the case of a collegiate track athlete with no prior surgeries or hamstring injuries who successfully returned to sport following conservative treatment of a distal semitendinosus tear. To our knowledge, this represents the first reported case of successful return to play following nonoperative management of such an injury.