Return to Competitive Play After Hamstring Injuries Involving Disruption of the Central Tendon

Background:The hamstring muscles are the most commonly injured muscle group in many different sports. Recovery time is often unpredictable and prolonged, and recurrent injury is common.Hypothesis:Hamstring injuries that disrupt the central tendon enclosed within the muscle belly require a longer recovery time than do injuries involving only muscle, epimysial fascia, or the musculotendinous junction.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Injury records from professional sports teams were reviewed to determine the length of recovery from each hamstring injury that occurred over a 24-month period. The integrity of the central tendon on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was retrospectively reviewed for each case. The association between central tendon disruption on MRI and recovery time was determined.Results:There were 62 hamstring injuries included for analysis; 45 (72%) involved the biceps femoris, 11 (18%) involved the semimembranosus, and 6 (10%) involved the semitendinosus. Central tendo...