Return to High-Speed Running After a Hamstring Injury in Soccer: A Scoping Review About Criteria and Management of On-Field Rehabilitation

ABSTRACT The importance of criteria for rehabilitation progression in hamstring injuries is well-known, particularly regarding the return to high-speed running (HSR). No previous reviews have compiled the existing evidence on HSR progression criteria or the protocols used to manage the on-field exposure in soccer players. The aims of this review are to summarize the available literature on criteria for progressing to HSR exposure and synthesize the available literature regarding the management of on-field HSR exposure during hamstring injury rehabilitation in soccer. The following electronic databases were searched until December 2024: PubMed, Web of science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus. All types of studies in English describing the criteria for assessing return to HSR and how to manage the exposure to HSR during an on-field rehabilitation progression were included. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Practitioners should consider the absence of pain, hamstring strength, and imaging when determining a player's readiness for return to HSR. On-field rehabilitation is an essential part of the return to play process, and practitioners should carefully plan the progression of running load, the difficulty of the proposed drills, the movement skills, and the soccer-specific actions.