Association of Hamstring Strain Injuries with Season and Temperature in Track and Field Collegiate Athletes in Japan: A Descriptive Epidemiological Study

Abstract

Background:Few descriptive epidemiological studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of hamstring strain injury in athletics. Objectives: To investigate the variations in the incidence of hamstring strain injury between seasons in track and field athletes, and further to investigate the relationship between environmental temperature and occurrence of hamstring strain injury. Methods: We recruited track and field athletes and recorded information about hamstring strain injuries between off-season), and the incidence of hamstring strain injury in each season was calculated. The incidence rate ratio for each season was calculated according to the temperature of the day when an injury was recorded. Results: In total, 183 hamstring strain injuries were recorded (16.98/100 person-years). The incidence was significantly higher in early-season (IRR = 2.23) than in other seasons. The incidences in mid-and late-seasons (IRR = 0.64, and 0.57, respectively) were significantly lower than those in other seasons. The very-high-temperature zone showed a significantly lower incidence of hamstring strain injuries (IRR = 0.53) than did other temperature zones. The lower-middle-temperature zone showed a significantly higher incidence of hamstring strain injury (IRR = 1.46) than the other temperature zones. Conclusions:This study results suggest that hamstring strain injury is most likely to occur in early-season, possibly due to the low temperatures that characterize this season and the rapid increase of running speed required for subsequent competitions.

Injuries in Collegiate Track and Field Jumping: A 2-Year Prospective Surveillance Study

“…In addition, we found no significant difference in the injury rate per AE when compared by season. Tokutake and Kuramochi 16 reported that the incidence of hamstring strain in track and field athletes was significantly higher in the early season (Injury Rate Ratio, 2.23) than in other seasons. If investigators focus on 1 injury and compare the injury rate for each season, there may be a difference.…”

“…Each year was divided into 4 seasons (early season, March-May; midseason, June-August; late season, September-November; and off-season, December-February), and the injury rate for each season was calculated. 16 We determined a significant difference between the 2 groups had been reached when the 95% CI of the injury rate per AE did not overlap.…”

Eccentric Hamstring Strength Imbalance among Football and Soccer Athletes

“…HSI is commonly caused by activities that rapidly eccentrically load the hamstring muscle such as sprinting, stopping, and cutting 31,32 . Positions for which these movements are common, wide receivers and defensive backs in football, and any field position in soccer, frequently succumb to HSIs 6,16–18 . Previous literature indicates that hamstring strength imbalances may contribute to HSI incidence 19,20 .…”

“…On the field, this translates to vulnerability during moments of rapid acceleration or deceleration, creating increased eccentric load and muscle strain during the late swing phase. As such, these injuries have been reported to disproportionately affect field position soccer athletes and certain American football players, including defensive backs and wide receivers 6,16–18 . A multitude of physiologic factors have been considered to contribute to HSI risk, including eccentric hamstring strength imbalances, low eccentric strength, torque, and muscular fatigue 12,15,19–21 .…”