Table 1

Eligibility criteria

Prospective case seriesRandomised controlled trial
Inclusion criteria
  • Male athletes

  • Age 18–50 years

  • Acute onset of posterior thigh pain when training or competing ≤5 days after injury

  • Clinical diagnosis ≤5 days after injury

  • MRI performed ≤5 days from injury

  • Available for follow-up

Exclusion criteria

  • Reinjury ≤2 months after RTS2

  • Chronic hamstring complaints >2 months

  • Grade 3 hamstring tear

  • Contraindications to MRI

  • Already included with prior injury

Inclusion criteria
  • Male gender

  • Age 18–50 years

  • Acute onset of posterior thigh pain

  • Presenting and MRI within 5 days from injury

  • MRI confirmed grade 1 or 2 hamstring lesion

  • Able to perform five sessions of physiotherapy a week at our clinic

  • Available for follow-up

Exclusion criteria

  • Contraindication to MRI

  • Reinjury ≤2 months after RTS2 or chronic hamstring injury >2 months

  • Other concurrent injury inhibiting rehabilitation

  • Unwilling to comply with follow-up

  • Needle phobia

  • Overlying skin infection

  • Diabetes, immune-compromised state

  • Medication with increasing bleeding risk

  • Medical contraindication to injection

  • RTS, return to sport.