Description
In this comprehensive presentation, Professor Fares Haddad from UCLH and UCL in London discusses hamstring injuries and their surgical management. He begins by outlining the plan for the talk, focusing specifically on hamstring avulsions while acknowledging the importance of tendon injuries. He points out the controversies surrounding surgical indications for these injuries and highlights how the current literature is lacking in quality and follow-up, providing an opportunity for better understanding and management of hamstring injuries.
The presentation covers various types of hamstring injuries, classified from type 1 to type 5, including bony avulsions typically seen in adolescents, tendon injuries, incomplete tears, complete tears, and retracted hamstring complex tears. Haddad emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, particularly for complete or subtotal injuries, which are often underdiagnosed and can lead to long-term complications if not managed correctly.
He discusses surgical techniques, the decision-making process for interventions, and the importance of individualized treatment based on the athlete’s needs and history. Haddad also points out the challenges of managing chronic hamstring issues and the personal experiences from his clinical practice regarding the surgical repair of proximal tendon injuries.
In concluding remarks, Haddad stresses the need for more research to improve surgical outcomes and management strategies for hamstring injuries, recognizing the hurdles present in conducting randomized studies within elite sports settings.