Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach

# Background Hamstring strain injuries have a significant impact in football, with a high re-injury rate, particularly when the distal musculotendinous T-junction (DMTJ) is involved. In some cases, surgical repair is necessary to reduce the risk of re-injury and ensure return to play (RTP) at the p...

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Main Authors: Massimo Zanovello, Mattia Bianchi, Lasse Lempainen, Marco Marano, Franco Bidoglio, Luis Suarez-Arrones
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: North American Sports Medicine Institute 2025-05-01
Series:International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.134126
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author Massimo Zanovello
Mattia Bianchi
Lasse Lempainen
Marco Marano
Franco Bidoglio
Luis Suarez-Arrones
author_facet Massimo Zanovello
Mattia Bianchi
Lasse Lempainen
Marco Marano
Franco Bidoglio
Luis Suarez-Arrones
author_sort Massimo Zanovello
collection DOAJ
description # Background Hamstring strain injuries have a significant impact in football, with a high re-injury rate, particularly when the distal musculotendinous T-junction (DMTJ) is involved. In some cases, surgical repair is necessary to reduce the risk of re-injury and ensure return to play (RTP) at the pre-injury level. # Study design Case Report # Case description A 24-year-old male football (soccer) player, playing in the Swiss first division, with recidivate hamstring injury, who undercame to surgical repair of DMTJ and returned to play through after 19 weeks. This case report introduces a new football-centered model divided into four main phases, showing how it guided the clinical reasoning used through the RTP process, along with MRI evaluations, clinical outcomes, global positioning system (GPS) data, and strength and power (S&P) neuromuscular testing. # Outcomes The subject gradually returned to team training after 12 weeks and successfully returned to play after 19 weeks. The player participated in 26 official matches throughout the season, accumulating 1.323 minutes of play without reporting any symptoms at the injury site. # Conclusions The subject had a successful return to play following the rehab model proposed in this case report, as he was involved in all the matches, and he played without any symptoms or new injuries. # Level of evidence 5
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spelling doaj-art-ec6ac69e03124fce887d5048412fa1ec2025-08-20T02:55:56ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962025-05-0120510.26603/001c.134126Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex ApproachMassimo ZanovelloMattia BianchiLasse LempainenMarco MaranoFranco BidoglioLuis Suarez-Arrones# Background Hamstring strain injuries have a significant impact in football, with a high re-injury rate, particularly when the distal musculotendinous T-junction (DMTJ) is involved. In some cases, surgical repair is necessary to reduce the risk of re-injury and ensure return to play (RTP) at the pre-injury level. # Study design Case Report # Case description A 24-year-old male football (soccer) player, playing in the Swiss first division, with recidivate hamstring injury, who undercame to surgical repair of DMTJ and returned to play through after 19 weeks. This case report introduces a new football-centered model divided into four main phases, showing how it guided the clinical reasoning used through the RTP process, along with MRI evaluations, clinical outcomes, global positioning system (GPS) data, and strength and power (S&P) neuromuscular testing. # Outcomes The subject gradually returned to team training after 12 weeks and successfully returned to play after 19 weeks. The player participated in 26 official matches throughout the season, accumulating 1.323 minutes of play without reporting any symptoms at the injury site. # Conclusions The subject had a successful return to play following the rehab model proposed in this case report, as he was involved in all the matches, and he played without any symptoms or new injuries. # Level of evidence 5https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.134126
spellingShingle Massimo Zanovello
Mattia Bianchi
Lasse Lempainen
Marco Marano
Franco Bidoglio
Luis Suarez-Arrones
Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
title Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach
title_full Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach
title_fullStr Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach
title_full_unstemmed Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach
title_short Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer’s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach
title_sort hamstring t junction surgical repair an elite footballer s return to play journey through a new football centered complex approach
url https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.134126
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AT lasselempainen hamstringtjunctionsurgicalrepairanelitefootballersreturntoplayjourneythroughanewfootballcenteredcomplexapproach
AT marcomarano hamstringtjunctionsurgicalrepairanelitefootballersreturntoplayjourneythroughanewfootballcenteredcomplexapproach
AT francobidoglio hamstringtjunctionsurgicalrepairanelitefootballersreturntoplayjourneythroughanewfootballcenteredcomplexapproach
AT luissuarezarrones hamstringtjunctionsurgicalrepairanelitefootballersreturntoplayjourneythroughanewfootballcenteredcomplexapproach