{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T15:09:40Z","timestamp":1790176180755,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]],"date-time":"2025-05-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1746144000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Hamstring strain injuries have a significant impact in football, with a high re-injury rate, particularly when the distal musculotendinous T-junction (DMTJ) is involved. In some cases, surgical repair is necessary to reduce the risk of re-injury and ensure return to play (RTP) at the pre-injury level.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Study design<\/jats:title>\n Case Report<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Case description<\/jats:title>\n A 24-year-old male football (soccer) player, playing in the Swiss first division, with recidivate hamstring injury, who undercame to surgical repair of DMTJ and returned to play through after 19 weeks. This case report introduces a new football-centered model divided into four main phases, showing how it guided the clinical reasoning used through the RTP process, along with MRI evaluations, clinical outcomes, global positioning system (GPS) data, and strength and power (S&P) neuromuscular testing.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Outcomes<\/jats:title>\n The subject gradually returned to team training after 12 weeks and successfully returned to play after 19 weeks. The player participated in 26 official matches throughout the season, accumulating 1.323 minutes of play without reporting any symptoms at the injury site.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n The subject had a successful return to play following the rehab model proposed in this case report, as he was involved in all the matches, and he played without any symptoms or new injuries.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Level of evidence<\/jats:title>\n 5<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.26603\/001c.134126","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,30]],"date-time":"2025-04-30T23:04:38Z","timestamp":1746054278000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer\u2019s Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach"],"prefix":"10.26603","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3925-5153","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Massimo","family":"Zanovello","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland","department":["Performance & Medical Department"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1683-4459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mattia","family":"Bianchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland","department":["Performance & Medical Department"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9877-1342","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lasse","family":"Lempainen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FinnOrthopaedics, Hospital Pihlajalinna, Turku, Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Marano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland","department":["Performance & Medical Department"]},{"name":"Clinica Ars Medica, Manno, Switzerland","department":["Centro dello sport \u2013 Swiss Olympic"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Franco","family":"Bidoglio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland","department":["Performance & Medical Department"]},{"name":"Clinica Ars Medica, Manno, Switzerland","department":["Centro dello sport \u2013 Swiss Olympic"]},{"name":"Mapei Sport Service, Olgiate Olona, Varese, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5432-4786","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis","family":"Suarez-Arrones","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland","department":["Perfomance & Medical Department"]},{"name":"Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain","department":["Department of Sport and Informatics, Section of Physical Education and Sport"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"11140","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ptsp.2019.05.009","article-title":"A retrospective analysis of hamstring injuries in elite rugby athletes: more severe injuries are likely to occur at the distal myofascial junction","volume":"38","author":"C. 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