If You Want to Prevent Hamstring Injuries in Soccer, Run Fast: A Narrative Review about Practical Considerations of Sprint Training

Abstract

Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) are one of the most common injuries in sprint-based sports. In soccer, the ability to sprint is key, not only because of its relation to performance but also due to its possible protective effect against HSIs. Although many authors have focused on the "how", "when", and "what" training load should be implemented, there is a lack of practical proposals for sprint training in a high-level professional environment. The objective of this narrative review is, after a deep review of the scientific literature, to present a practical approach for sprint training, trying to answer some of the questions that most strength and conditioning coaches ask themselves when including it in soccer. Once the literature published on this topic was reviewed and combined with the practical experience of the authors, it was concluded that sprint training in soccer, although it presents an obvious need, is not something about which there is methodological unanimity. However, following the practical recommendations from this narrative review, strength and conditioning coaches can have a reference model that serves as a starting point for optimal management of the internal and external training load when they wish to introduce sprint training in the competitive microcycle in professional soccer players, with the aim of reducing HSIs.

Keywords: HSI; football; prevention; professional; sprinting.

Figure 1

Relationship between the number of hamstring injuries and sprint dose.

Figure 2

Proposal for the inclusion of the multidirectional speed model during the microcycle based on the complexity of the tasks (MD: matchday; CODs: changes of direction; MSS: maximal sprinting speed).

Figure 3

Proposal for weekly periodization in different microcycles.

Figure 4

Sprint data comparison with absolute thresholds vs. relative thresholds.

Figure 5

Absolute values by player position in competition (stats perform: multi-camera system in French league).

Figure 6

Absolute and relative values by player position in training (GPS-Catapult System).

Figure 7

Sprint periodization during a typical competitive microcycle.

Figure 8

Evidence based practical applications.