Sprinting technique and hamstring strain injuries: A concept mapping study

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore expert opinion to identify the components of sprinting technique they believed to be risk factors for hamstring strain injuries (HSI). Design: Mixed-method research design. Methods: The Concept Systems groupwisdomTM web platform was used to analyse and collect data. Participants brainstormed, sorted and rated the components of sprinting technique to consider in a HSI prevention strategy. Results: Twenty-three experts (academic/researcher, physiotherapist, strength and conditioning coaches and sprint coaches) brainstormed 66 statements that were synthesised and edited to 60 statements. Nineteen partic-ipants sorted the statements into clusters and rated them for relative importance and confidence they could be addressed in a hamstring injury prevention program. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis identified a 8-cluster solution modified to a 5-cluster solution by the research team: Training prescription (10 statements, mean importance: 3.79 out of 5 and mean confidence: 3.79); Neuromuscular and tendon properties (9, 3.09, 3.08); Kinematics parameters/Technical skills (27, 2.99, 2.98); Kinetics parameters (10, 2.85, 2.92); and Hip me-chanics (4, 2.70, 2.63). The statement: "low exposure to maximal sprint running" located in the cluster "Training prescription" received the highest mean importance (4.55) and confidence ratings (4.42) of all statements. Conclusion: The five clusters of components of sprinting technique believed to be risk factors for HSIs in order of most to least important were: training prescription, neuromuscular and tendon properties, kinematics parame-ters/technical drills, kinetics parameters and hip mechanics. (c) 2021 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.