Round 1 survey: what are the key questions that you would like answered regarding the early phase of rehabilitation after hamstring injury (HSI)?
| Domain area (theme) | Responses | Typical responses |
| Early interventions (STM/neural mobilisation /+adjuncts blood flow restriction/EMS) | 9 | Is there a role for adjunct treatment modalities? At what time point are they safe and to what level of intensity? |
| Progression criteria (including pain) | 6 | What outcomes should we be aiming to achieve for criteria-based progression along stages? |
| Optimum exercise/load types | 6 | What are the optimal exercises to use in this phase? How early can we safely prescribe eccentric/long length exercises? |
| Pain importance | 5 | What are the outcomes of pain monitored/threshold approach to rehabilitation? |
| Modalities for inflammation/healing (RICE, Meds) | 5 | Does prolonged use of ice, compression or medication positively or negatively affect hamstring healing rates? |
| Timescales (start and progress load) | 4 | How early can we safely prescribe eccentric/long length exercises? |
| Flexibility/range of movement | 3 | Is there a role for knee flexibility work? |
| Immobilisation and bracing (optimum, effects) | 3 | Does initial immobilisation positively or negatively affect hamstring healing rates? |
| Neural factors, inhibition and activation | 3 | What are the outcomes of return to run process, early versus delayed versus criteria based, versus early introduction of eccentrics—any effect on neuromuscular inhibition? |
| Optimum dosing (frequency, intensity, duration) | 2 | What exercise dosages are optimal for loading early phase after hamstring injury? |
| Safety of early loading | 1 | Does early mobilisation/rehab including stretching and activation of the hamstring speed or limit recovery? |
| Tissue strain load/exercise | 1 | What is the strain placed on muscle/tendon by different rehab exercises? |
| Weight-bearing | 1 | When does initial reduction in weight-bearing help or hinder healing? |
| Early strength | 1 | What are the outcomes of early introduction of eccentric exercises? |
| Total | 50 |
EMS, electromagnetic stimulation; RICE, rest, ice, compression, elevation; STM, soft tissue massage.