Understanding and managing hamstring injuries in elite athletes
Hamstring injuries are among the most frequent and challenging muscle injuries encountered in elite sports, particularly in disciplines that require explosive movements, such as sudden acceleration or powerful lower limb engagement 1.
These injuries can vary widely in severity and location, often affecting the proximal or distal regions of the muscle-tendon unit. The complexity of these injuries requires accurate diagnosis and structured follow-up to ensure safe and effective return to play.
Medical imaging – particularly ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – plays a central role in identifying the type and extent of injury, monitoring the healing process, and guiding rehabilitation.
During the first Sports Med Days session on hamstring injuries, the specialists will share practical insights on applying imaging techniques to improve diagnosis, track healing, and support return-to-play strategies.
These injuries can vary widely in severity and location, often affecting the proximal or distal regions of the muscle-tendon unit. The complexity of these injuries requires accurate diagnosis and structured follow-up to ensure safe and effective return to play.
Medical imaging – particularly ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – plays a central role in identifying the type and extent of injury, monitoring the healing process, and guiding rehabilitation.
During the first Sports Med Days session on hamstring injuries, the specialists will share practical insights on applying imaging techniques to improve diagnosis, track healing, and support return-to-play strategies.
Day 1 | Hamstring
Ultrasound / MRI
May 27, 7 pm (CEST) / 1 pm (EDT)
Join Dr. Ronjan Bhattacharya, Dr. Iñigo Iriarte, and Dr. Sandra Mechó for this first appointment with the "Sports Med Days" webinar series, made possible by the Canon Medical Academy.
The experts will explore the diagnostic challenges of hamstring injuries and the evolving role of imaging in supporting clinical decision-making. The presentations will include real-world case experience and best practices using ultrasound and MRI.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding of hamstring injury classification and recovery monitoring in high-performance athletes.
Program
May 27, 7 pm (CEST) / 1 pm (EDT)
Join Dr. Ronjan Bhattacharya, Dr. Iñigo Iriarte, and Dr. Sandra Mechó for this first appointment with the "Sports Med Days" webinar series, made possible by the Canon Medical Academy.
The experts will explore the diagnostic challenges of hamstring injuries and the evolving role of imaging in supporting clinical decision-making. The presentations will include real-world case experience and best practices using ultrasound and MRI.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding of hamstring injury classification and recovery monitoring in high-performance athletes.
Program
- Biceps Femoris Injuries Part I: Anatomy, Ultrasound, MRI and Proximal Injuries | Dr. Iñigo Iriarte
- Distal Injuries and Monitoring of the Healing Process with MRI | Dr. Sandra Mechó
- Live Q&A moderated by Dr. Ronjan Bhattacharya
- Learn how to use ultrasound and MRI to identify typical and less common hamstring injuries
- Understand the role of ultrasound in evaluating muscle healing over time
- Assess hamstring healing using MRI and recognize when recovery is on track – and when it may require intervention
- Participate in the live Q&A to find answers to your questions
Speakers and Presentations
Moderator: Dr. Ronjan Bhattacharya, MBChB MSc (SEM) MRCGP DipSEM FFSEM (UK) PGCert (MSK US) Consultant in Sport, Exercise and Musculoskeletal Medicine & Club Doctor at Manchester United FC
Manchester United Football Club
Manchester, UK
Manchester United Football Club
Manchester, UK
Speaker: Dr. Iñigo Iriarte Posse, MD Interventional Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Consultant in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
Ars Médica/Athletic Club Bilbao/DMC Cantabria
Bilbao, Spain
Presentation: Biceps Femoris Injuries Part I: Anatomy, Ultrasound, MRI and Proximal Injuries
Hamstring injuries are one of the leading causes of consultation in sports medicine. The key is to diagnose these injuries accurately.
In addition to the clinical examination, ultrasound and MRI provide valuable information for the clinician to plan recovery and make return-to-play decisions.
In this lecture, we will begin by reviewing the normal anatomy of the biceps femoris and how we will view it with ultrasound and MRI, focusing on the most frequent areas involved in pathology.
Once we understand the normal structures, we will focus on proximal injuries to the biceps femoris: avulsions, tendon injuries, and common myofascial injuries.
Ars Médica/Athletic Club Bilbao/DMC Cantabria
Bilbao, Spain
Presentation: Biceps Femoris Injuries Part I: Anatomy, Ultrasound, MRI and Proximal Injuries
Hamstring injuries are one of the leading causes of consultation in sports medicine. The key is to diagnose these injuries accurately.
In addition to the clinical examination, ultrasound and MRI provide valuable information for the clinician to plan recovery and make return-to-play decisions.
In this lecture, we will begin by reviewing the normal anatomy of the biceps femoris and how we will view it with ultrasound and MRI, focusing on the most frequent areas involved in pathology.
Once we understand the normal structures, we will focus on proximal injuries to the biceps femoris: avulsions, tendon injuries, and common myofascial injuries.
Speaker: Dr. Sandra Mechó, MD, PhD Radiologist
Clinica Creu Blanca-Sports Medicine Center Futbol Club
Barcelona, Spain
Presentation: Distal Injuries and Monitoring of the Healing Process with MRI
Hamstring injuries are common in athletes and can significantly impact performance and recovery time. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays a crucial role in diagnosing, prognosing, and following up on these injuries.
MRI allows for an accurate assessment of the injury localization, the extent of muscle histoarchitectural damage, and the identification of associated complications such as hematomas. It also helps guide treatment strategies and predict return-to-play timelines. Follow-up MRI can monitor healing progression and detect residual changes that may increase re-injury risk.
This review highlights the importance of MRI in the comprehensive management of hamstring injuries, emphasizing its role in improving clinical outcomes and optimizing rehabilitation protocols.
Clinica Creu Blanca-Sports Medicine Center Futbol Club
Barcelona, Spain
Presentation: Distal Injuries and Monitoring of the Healing Process with MRI
Hamstring injuries are common in athletes and can significantly impact performance and recovery time. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays a crucial role in diagnosing, prognosing, and following up on these injuries.
MRI allows for an accurate assessment of the injury localization, the extent of muscle histoarchitectural damage, and the identification of associated complications such as hematomas. It also helps guide treatment strategies and predict return-to-play timelines. Follow-up MRI can monitor healing progression and detect residual changes that may increase re-injury risk.
This review highlights the importance of MRI in the comprehensive management of hamstring injuries, emphasizing its role in improving clinical outcomes and optimizing rehabilitation protocols.
Discover More About the Speaker
Discover More About the Moderator and Speakers
Dr. Ronjan BhattacharyaRon is a Consultant in Sport, Exercise, and Musculoskeletal Medicine and Club Doctor at Manchester United FC. Here, he has a hybrid role supporting all the athletes across the first team, Academy, and Women’s teams. He has previous experience working in elite sport, high-performance teams, and major sporting events across multiple sports.
Ron is dual certified in Sports and Exercise Medicine and General Practice and is also qualified in point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound and guided injections. He is currently working with the Football Research and Innovation Group at MUFC to investigate novel imaging strategies for muscle injuries in sports.
Dr. Iñigo Iriarte Posse, MD Dr. Iñigo Iriarte Posse is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist with over 20 years of clinical and academic experience. He is the Medical Director at Ars Médica Bilbao, a consultant for Athletic Club, and performs ultrasound-guided infiltrations at DMC Cantabria.
Dr. Iriarte is an international speaker and educator, collaborating with leading institutions and conferences. He is a co-author of several reference books and the founder of MSKFreak, an educational YouTube channel and website offering ultrasound training in Spanish and English.
His work promotes diagnostic precision and advances in musculoskeletal imaging.
Dr. Sandra Mechó, MD, PhD Dr. Sandra Mechó is a radiologist specializing in musculoskeletal MRI at Creu Blanca and collaborates with the Medical Department of the Sports Science Area at FC Barcelona.
Dr. Mechó earned her PhD with honors (Cum Laude) from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where she received the Extraordinary PhD Award for her research on the proximal myotendinous junction of the rectus femoris.
She is involved in multiple research projects within the Barça Innovation Hub and has co-authored more than 10 publications over the past five years in high- and medium-impact journals focused on anatomy and muscle pathology.
She has presented at several national and international conferences on MRI in muscle injury, most recently at the VI Congress March Break: Stadium 10 Years (March 21–23, 2025).
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References
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