PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mueller-Wohlfahrt, Hans-Wilhelm
AU  - Haensel, Lutz
AU  - Mithoefer, Kai
AU  - Ekstrand, Jan
AU  - English, Bryan
AU  - McNally, Steven
AU  - Orchard, John
AU  - van Dijk, C Niek
AU  - Kerkhoffs, Gino M
AU  - Schamasch, Patrick
AU  - Blottner, Dieter
AU  - Swaerd, Leif
AU  - Goedhart, Edwin
AU  - Ueblacker, Peter
TI  - Terminology and classification of muscle injuries in sport: The Munich consensus statement
AID  - 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091448
DP  - 2013 Apr 01
TA  - British Journal of Sports Medicine
PG  - 342--350
VI  - 47
IP  - 6
4099  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/47/6/342.short
4100  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/47/6/342.full
SO  - Br J Sports Med2013 Apr 01; 47
AB  - Objective To provide a clear terminology and classification of muscle injuries in order to facilitate effective communication among medical practitioners and development of systematic treatment strategies. Methods Thirty native English-speaking scientists and team doctors of national and first division professional sports teams were asked to complete a questionnaire on muscle injuries to evaluate the currently used terminology of athletic muscle injury. In addition, a consensus meeting of international sports medicine experts was established to develop practical and scientific definitions of muscle injuries as well as a new and comprehensive classification system. Results The response rate of the survey was 63%. The responses confirmed the marked variability in the use of the terminology relating to muscle injury, with the most obvious inconsistencies for the term strain. In the consensus meeting, practical and systematic terms were defined and established. In addition, a new comprehensive classification system was developed, which differentiates between four types: functional muscle disorders (type 1: overexertion-related and type 2: neuromuscular muscle disorders) describing disorders without macroscopic evidence of fibre tear and structural muscle injuries (type 3: partial tears and type 4: (sub)total tears/tendinous avulsions) with macroscopic evidence of fibre tear, that is, structural damage. Subclassifications are presented for each type. Conclusions A consistent English terminology as well as a comprehensive classification system for athletic muscle injuries which is proven in the daily practice are presented. This will help to improve clarity of communication for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and can serve as the basis for future comparative studies to address the continued lack of systematic information on muscle injuries in the literature. What are the new things Consensus definitions of the terminology which is used in the field of muscle injuries as well as a new comprehensive classification system which clearly defines types of athletic muscle injuries. Level of evidence Expert opinion, Level V.