Surgical treatment of high-grade acute intramuscular hamstring tendon injuries in athletes leads to predictable return to sports and no re-injuries

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the post-operative return to sport and re-injury rates following surgical repair of acute, first-time, high-grade intramuscular hamstring tendon injuries in high level athletes.

Methods: Patients were identified using the databases of two sports surgeons. Once patients were identified their clinical notes and imaging were reviewed to confirm that all patients had injuries to the intramuscular portion of the distal aspect of the proximal biceps femoris tendon. All imaging was reviewed by an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist to confirm diagnosis. Surgery for such injuries was indicated in high-level athletes presenting with acute hamstring injuries. All patients were operated on within 4 weeks. Outcomes included Tegner scores, return to sport, Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS), current hamstring symptoms and complications including re-injury.

Results: Eleven injuries (10 patients) were included in the study. All patients were male and Australian Rules Football players. Six patients were professional athletes and 4 semi-professional athletes. Median age was 24.5 (range 21-29) and median follow-up period was 33.7 months (range; 16-65). 91% were British Athletic Muscle Injury Classification (BAMIC) 3c and 9% were BAMIC 4c. 91% were classed as MR2 and 9% as MR3 on the simplified four-grade injury classification. Athletes achieved return to play (RTP) at an average of 3.1 months (SD 1.0) post repair. All but one patient achieved a Tegner score equal to pre-injury levels. Maximum LEFS was achieved by all patients. Minor pain scores (all with VAS < 1/10) on sciatic and functional stretch were recorded in 36% and 27% of patients respectively, with subtle neural symptoms (9%) and subjective tightness (36%) also noted. There were no surgical complications in our patient cohort. No patients had a re-injury or re-operation.

Conclusions: Surgical repair of high-grade intramuscular tendon injuries of the biceps femoris hamstring muscle in athletes resulted in high levels of return to pre-injury sporting levels and no re-injuries. The intra-muscular tendon should be scrutinized when assessing hamstring injuries in elite sport and offer surgery in high-grade cases.

Level of evidence: IV.

Keywords: Hamstring; Injury intramuscular tendon; Return to play; Surgery.