Hamstring injuries have many causes, but some are quite predictable and preventable. These injuries are especially common in sports that require bursts of speed, like football, raquetball, and soccer. In fact, in a recent experiment, a sports physiologist correctly predicted four out of six hamstring injuries. What's so troubling about hamstring strains, to both the athlete and his physician, is how easily and frequently these can recur, how long they take to rehabilitate, and how limited the treatment options are. Unlike some other sports-related injuries, hamstring problems are not usually repaired surgically.
Researchers have yet to agree about why some individuals seem particularly prone to the injury.
In addition, there is not common agreement as to what preventive measures are most effective. Hamstrings are a group of four muscles at the back of the thigh that attach to the hip and the knee. Strains most commonly occur when a player tries to make an explosive burst or quick motion, or when he tries to speed up in a sprint. Tightly muscled athletes seem to suffer more hamstring injuries. At the point of injury, the athlete usually feels either a distinct pull or a pop and pulls up in a moderate or severe limp.