Correlation of Player and Imaging Characteristics With Severity and Missed Time in National Football League Professional Athletes With Hamstring Strain Injury: A Retrospective Review.

This article focuses on the characteristics, imaging findings, and clinical outcomes of hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) in National Football League (NFL) players during the 2018-2019 season. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) graded by the British Athletics Muscle Injury Classification (BAMIC) system, the study found that the biceps femoris was the most commonly injured muscle, with moderate severity (BAMIC grade 2) injuries being most frequent. Injury severity as classified by BAMIC correlated with increased days and games missed, with proximal biceps femoris and combined biceps femoris and semitendinosus injuries resulting in the longest recovery times. Additionally, sciatic nerve abnormalities were present in about 30% of cases and were associated with longer missed time, suggesting a potential factor in delayed recovery. These findings provide insight into injury patterns and prognostic indicators that may inform rehabilitation and return-to-play decisions for NFL athletes.