Injuries to the hamstrings in sprinters

To determine the incidence of hamstring shortening and the occurrence of posterior thigh muscle injuries in relation to the strength of their eccentric muscle contraction in a group of professional sprinters and in a control group (general population). Based on the results, the aim is to identify individuals at risk of future posterior thigh muscle injuries. The sample consisted of 34 sprinters and 34 individuals from the general population. The sprinter group included 16 female sprinters and 18 male sprinters. The average age was 21.23 years (SD ±2.52). The average training age of the sprinters was 6.64 years (SD ±1.81). The control group consisted of 16 women and 18 men. The average age was 20.23 years (SD ±0.94). To determine the relationship between eccentric muscle contraction strength and the incidence of posterior thigh muscle injuries, the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment questionnaire (VISA-H), a test for hamstring shortening, and the Nordic Angle method used during the Nordic hamstring exercise were applied. We observed a significant difference in the strength of eccentric contraction of the posterior thigh muscles (p = 0.001) and in the total VISA-H questionnaire score (p = 0.002), both in favor of the sprinter group. No significant difference was found in the incidence of posterior thigh muscle injuries over the past year (p = 0.75). Similarly, no significant difference was confirmed in the testing of hamstring shortening (p = 0.73). From a preventive perspective, it is important to test the strength of eccentric contraction of the posterior thigh muscles in sprinters. It is equally important to monitor whether a sprinter shows symptoms of posterior thigh muscle injury, which could pose a complication in their athletic career. The implementation of targeted rehabilitation programs could have a preventive effect in reducing the risk of injuries in sprinters.