Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 14, 2026
10:31
A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
Published on: September 25, 2014
13.9K
Muscle Injuries in 90 Professional Football Players Over 10 Consecutive Seasons: A Comparison of Two Classification
Pauline J Huber1,2, Björn Schönnagel3, Dimitris Dalos1,2
1Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Centre, Hamburg, Germany.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|October 17, 2025
Summary
The British Athletics Muscle Injury Classification (BAMIC) and Munich consensus statement (MCS) both correlate with return-to-play time in professional football players. BAMIC
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Musculoskeletal Imaging
- Injury Classification
Background:
- The British Athletics Muscle Injury Classification (BAMIC) and Munich consensus statement (MCS) are established systems for categorizing muscle injuries and estimating return-to-play (RTP) time.
- MCS uses clinical and radiological assessment, while BAMIC primarily relies on imaging, including tendon involvement.
- There is no consensus on which classification system is superior for assessing acute muscle injuries and their RTP association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the BAMIC and MCS in professional football players regarding acute muscle injury assessment and RTP.
- To identify player characteristics influencing layoff duration, considering the differing approaches of BAMIC and MCS.
- To evaluate the correlation between injury grading by both systems and actual RTP.
Main Methods:
- 169 MRI scans (3 Tesla) of acute muscle injuries in 90 professional football players were assessed using BAMIC and MCS within 2.3 days of injury.
- Grading from both classification systems was compared and correlated with RTP.
- Player data including injury recurrence, dominant leg, affected side, age, and seasonal distribution were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Both BAMIC (r=0.533, p<0.001) and MCS (r=0.583, p<0.001) grading showed significant correlation with RTP.
- Intratendinous injuries had significantly longer layoff times (mean=38.61 days) compared to myofascial (mean=14.17 days) and myotendinous lesions (mean=17.99 days).
- Higher incidences of muscle injuries occurred in September and April (p<0.001); no association was found between dominant and affected sides.
Conclusions:
- Both BAMIC and MCS demonstrate similar associations with estimated RTP in professional football players.
- BAMIC's inclusion of tendon injuries is crucial, as these are associated with extended RTP.
- Emphasis on regeneration and prevention strategies at the start and end of the season is recommended to reduce injury incidence.
