Sports rehabilitation panel sets hamstring return-to-sport criteria
A November 1 consensus statement in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy outlined expert recommendations for evaluating and rehabilitating athletic hamstring injuries. The 17-member panel reached consensus on 54 of 60 statements, including progressive loading and objective, sport-specific return-to-sport checks.
A consensus statement on athletic hamstring injuries appeared in the November 1 issue of the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. Using a modified Delphi process, 17 expert clinicians completed the final round, and 54 of 60 statements reached consensus.1
The panel supported individualized, criterion-based rehabilitation with progressive tissue loading and length restoration, followed by gradual running and agility progression toward pain-free sprinting. Return-to-sport checks included hamstring peak force or torque, sport-specific workloads, pain-free sprinting, unrestricted training and athlete readiness.1
The authors noted that the 17-member panel came exclusively from the ICCUS Society, which could limit how widely the findings generalize. For trainers coordinating with clinicians, the framework highlights measurable progression and sport-specific readiness rather than a single clearance marker.1
