Biceps Femoris Long Head Fascicle Length Not Associated With Hamstring Injury Risk in NCAA Football Athletes.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether biceps femoris long head (BFlh) fascicle length (FL) is related to hamstring injury (HSI) risk in collegiate football athletes.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

SETTING

University athletic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Division I Collegiate football athletes (n = 129, age = 20.03 ± 1.68 years, body mass index = 29.50 ± 5.06 kg/m2).

INTERVENTIONS: Biceps femoris long head FL measurements were previously taken on the nondominant leg of each athlete. Presence or absence of HSI for 2 playing seasons and training camps was evaluated through retrospective review of medical records.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Whether a shorter BFlh FL was associated with increased risk for any HSI.

RESULTS

Biceps femoris long head FL was not associated with HSI risk. Body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 was incidentally found to be protective (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.84, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Biceps femoris long head FL is not an ideal measurement for predicting risk of HSI in American football athletes.