Hamstring muscles: biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus
A person with hamstring strain injury will complain of stiffness and soreness in the hamstring muscles the day after exercise.
Risk factors associated with increased hamstring strain injury:
(1) sports with eccentric contractions of the hamstring muscles
(1a) sprinting (football, track and field events)
(1b) kicking a ball (soccer)
(2) history of previous hamstring strain injury
(3) tight muscles with inadequate warm-up
(4) sudden exertion in an unconditioned person
Risk factors associated with decreased hamstring strain injury:
(1) program of eccentric exercise that is modified based on the results of regular muscle testing for angle-torque relationships
where:
• An eccentric exercise involves lengthening of a contracting muscle.
• Angle-torque relationships are measured with isokinetic dynamometry.
