This issue of Journal of Sport and Health Science contains a point-counterpoint discussion of hamstring injuries in sprint running by the groups of Drs. Liu and Yu.1, 2, 3, 4 They propose different mechanisms of muscle injuries in general, and hamstring injuries in sprint running specifically. Yu et al.2, 4 present evidence suggesting that hamstring injuries are primarily caused by excessive muscle strain during eccentric contraction. In maximal effort sprint running, excessive muscle strains occur at the end of the swing phase. In contrast, Liu et al.1, 3 point out that, in addition to excessive hamstring strain, high stresses in the late swing and early stance phase and the transition between swing and stance may also contribute to hamstring injuries when the hamstrings actively assist hip extension and knee flexion.
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