Return to sport and beyond following intramuscular tendon hamstring injury: A case report of an English Premier League football player

BackgroundHamstring strain injuries are the most common type of injury in elite football and are associated with a high risk of reinjury, particularly those involving the intramuscular tendon (IMT). Limited information is available regarding the rehabilitation and return to sport (RTS) processes following such injuries. This case study describes the clinical presentation of an elite football player following IMT hamstring injury, their on- and off-pitch rehabilitation alongside performance monitoring throughout RTS and beyond.Case scenarioAn elite football player suffered a grade 2c hamstring injury during an English Premier League (EPL) match. The player underwent early post-injury management, alongside progressive off-pitch physical preparation. The ‘control-chaos continuum’ was used as a framework for on-pitch rehabilitation to prepare the player for a return to full team training and competition. Objective and subjective markers of the player's response to progressive on- and off-pitch loading were monitored throughout RTS and beyond.OutcomesThe player returned to on-pitch rehabilitation after 11 days, to full team training having achieved weekly pre-injury chronic running load outputs after 35 days and played in the EPL 40 days post-injury. The player did not suffer reinjury for the rest of the EPL season.ConclusionAn understanding the unique structural and mechanical properties of the IMT, alongside expected RTS timeframes are important to inform rehabilitation and decision-making processes post-injury. Performance and frequent load-response monitoring throughout RTS and beyond, in conjunction with practitioner experience and effective communication are critical in facilitating effective RTS and reduce risk of reinjury following IMT injury.     

Augmentation technique with semitendinosus and gracilis tendons in chronic partial lesions of the ACL: clinical and arthrometric analysis

Most of the techniques described in the literature for the repair of chronic partial ACL tears, don’t spare the intact portion of the ligament. The aim of this study was to perform a prospective analysis of the results of augmentation surgery using gracilis and semitendinosus tendons to treat partial sub-acute lesions of the ACL. This technique involves an “over the top” femoral passage, which enables salvage and strengthening of the intact portion of the ACL. The study included 47 patients treated consecutively at our institute from 1993 to 1998, with a mean injury-surgery interval of 18 weeks (range 12–36). The patients were followed up by clinical and instrumental assessment criteria at 3 months, 1 and 5 years after surgery. Clinical assessment was performed using the IKDC form. Subjective and functional parameters were assessed by the Tegner activity scale. Instrumental evaluation was done using the KT-2000 instrument: the 30-pound passive test and the manual maximum displacement test were performed. We obtained good or excellent results in 95.7% of cases. No recurrences in ligamentous laxity were observed. We believe that the described technique has the advantage of being compatible with ACL anatomy, and enables very rapid functional recovery.     

关节镜下可吸收螺钉固定腘绳肌重建膝后交叉韧带的疗效评价

目的 探讨关节镜下可吸收螺钉固定腘绳肌腱单束重建膝后交叉韧带(posterior cruciate ligament,PCL)的效果.方法 2004年4月～2005年4月,我院25例(25膝)经关节镜检查证实为PCL断裂,在关节镜下行自体腘绳肌腱单束PCL 重建术,生物可吸收挤压螺钉解剖位固定重建韧带. 结果 手术时间平均90min(80～100min).25例膝术毕PCL重建后后抽屉试验均为阴性.术后住院时间7～14 d,平均10.4 d.25例术后随访12～24个月,平均18个月,23例膝后抽屉试验阴性,2例后抽屉试验1级.术后12个月Lysholm膝关节功能评分由术前(44.8±8.1)分提高至(77.8±6.4)分(t=-15.999,P=0.000).按国际膝关节文件编制委员会膝关节标准评价膝关节功能分级,术前异常(C级)10例、显著异常(D级)15例,随访时正常(A级)8例、接近正常(B级)15例、异常(C级)2例(Z=-4.394,P=0.000). 结论 关节镜下可吸收螺钉固定自体腘绳肌腱单束重建膝PCL创伤小,固定可靠,手术操作简单,术后膝关节功能恢复效果好.     

Regeneration of the hamstring tendons after harvesting for arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a histological study in 11 patients

The purpose of our study is to evaluate whether the hamstring tendons can regrow after harvesting for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and whether the regenerate tissue can be histologically characterized as tendinous. Eleven of the patients (eight female and three male; mean age, 23 years; range 17–37 years) consented to participate in this study. One year after the ACL reconstruction, surgical biopsy was done. Regeneration of the tendon was detected macroscopically in 9 of the 11 patients. Histologically and immunohistochemically, the regenerated tendons closely resembled normal ones. The results of this study show the hamstring tendons can regenerate after harvesting for the ACL reconstruction.     

关节镜下可吸收空心界面螺钉固定、四股腘绳肌腱重建前交叉韧带

目的探讨关节镜下可吸收空心界面螺钉固定、四股自体腘绳肌肌腱重建前交叉韧带(anterior cruciate ligament,ACL)的方法及疗效. 方法关节镜下以四股自体腘绳肌肌腱作为ACL替代物,应用(96L-4D)SR-PLA聚丙交酯生物可降解界面螺钉进行移植物固定, 对42例ACL损伤行ACL重建术. 结果 42例术后随访3～22个月,平均11.4月,膝关节活动度均在正常范围.术后Lachman 试验:37例≤1 ,4例2 ,1 例3 .轴移试验:42 例均为阴性.术后Lysholm 评分(89.7 ±9.6)分较术前(49.4±9.1)分显著提高(t=2.12,P=0.038).术后Tegner 活动评分(5.3±1.1)分较术前(2.3±0.7)分显著提高(t=4.13,P=0.008).术后1年MRI示29例可吸收空心界面螺钉部分被吸收;27例重建的韧带位置良好、形态正常;2例韧带在股骨的止点偏前;3例胫骨止点偏前,有轻度顶撞击现象. 结论四股腘绳肌腱是ACL重建的理想替代材料,可吸收空心界面螺钉是ACL重建的理想内固定材料.