Clinical Presentation and Rehabilitation Progression Following Hamstring Injury Assessed by BAMIC in Elite Track and...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Rehabilitation

Background:

• Hamstring injuries are common in elite track and field athletes, impacting training and competition.
• Understanding initial clinical features and their association with recovery is crucial for effective rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify clinical features at initial assessment of hamstring injuries in elite athletes.
• To determine the association of these features with injury mechanism, classification (BAMIC), and time to return to full training (TRFT).
• To monitor functional milestones during rehabilitation relative to BAMIC and TRFT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of hamstring injuries in elite track and field athletes.
• Recording of clinical markers, injury mechanism, BAMIC classification, and TRFT.
• Monitoring of functional milestones during rehabilitation.

Main Results:

• 30% of injuries were preceded by low back pain or hamstring tightness/cramping.
• Reduced Maximal Hip Flexion Active Knee Extension (MHFAKE), greater MHFAKE asymmetry, and higher Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores were associated with longer TRFT.
• BAMIC class 'c' injuries showed higher VAS pain, longer time to jog, and delayed pain-free passive knee extension.
• Time to pain-free jogging, manual muscle testing, Askling H-test, and full passive range of motion (ROM) were associated with TRFT.

Conclusions:

• Initial clinical markers such as MHFAKE and VAS pain scores can aid in prognostication for hamstring injury recovery in elite athletes.
• BAMIC class 'c' hamstring injuries present unique challenges, often indicated by higher pain and restricted ROM.
• Pre-injury symptoms like low back pain and hamstring tightness are common and warrant consideration in clinical assessment.