If you have been watching the 2014 world cup you will have seen a number of injuries (some fake, some real) taking place. One of the most common muscle to get injured is the hamstring. In the final over the weekend Schweinsteiger even managed to hit the ground, suffering a hamstring cramp.

Over the next few days, we have some special articles about hamstrings and injuries. From heavily technical to more general explanations. If you think you have sustained a hamstring injury, or have any general questions, send an email to the Swissphysio team.

Hamstring injuries are so common in football it affected all of these players:

• The USA lost three players in the first half of the first game; Jozy Altidore’s left hamstring was strained,
• Matt Besler’s sore hamstrings made him miss the second half and Alejandro Bedoya suffered from Hamstring cramp
• Brazil’s Hulk has an ongoing hamstring complaint,
• Australia’s Ivan Franjic was sent home after a hamstring injury,
• Portugal’s Hugo Almeida had to be substituted for his hamstring injury
• Spain’s David De Gea may have torn his hamstring.
• The list goes on.

And one of the main factors that made this world cup more hamstring injury prone?

The hot and humid Brazilian weather, those un-acclimatised players suffer greater fatigue and loose a great deal of fluids. As you loose fluids you loose electrolytes and, within these, some of the vital substances for proper muscle contraction (calcium, potassium etc.)

So, if you find yourself out playing football in the amazon rain forest, make sure you hydrate well and have eaten a rich and nutritious diet before-hand!

Miranda Asher, Rehab engineer

Published on: 3rd January 2018

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