Table 1.

Study eligibility criteria

Prospective case series

Randomised controlled trial

Inclusion criteria Male professional soccer player 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 MRI confirmed hamstring lesion Exclusion criteria Re-injury ≤2 months after RTS [11] Chronic hamstring complaints >2 months Grade III hamstring tear Contraindications to MRI Already included with prior injury

Inclusion criteria Male professional soccer player Age 18–50 years Acute onset of posterior thigh pain Presenting and MRI within 5 days from injury MRI confirmed hamstring lesion Able to perform five sessions of physiotherapy a week at our clinic Available for follow-up Exclusion criteria Contraindication to MRI Re-injury ≤2 months after RTS [2] 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