UW School of Medicine awarded $300K grant from NBA, GE Healthcare to study hamstring injuries

MADISON -- The National Basketball Association (NBA) and GE Healthcare awarded on Wednesday, February 15th a $300,000 grant to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) to identify risk factors for hamstring injury (HSI) in athletes and to evaluate new imaging methods that could improve post-injury prognosis.

A news release from UW says hamstring injuries are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries in people who participate in sports that involve running and sprinting, such as basketball, football, and soccer. They can result in prolonged time away from sport.

Researchers will assess Division I collegiate men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, track, and football teams over multiple years. All athletes enrolled in the study will complete pre-season hamstring strength and endurance testing, along with other sport-specific measures. The athletes will be monitored by athletic trainers, who will record injuries and sports participation in both practices and games. Those who sustain HSI will undergo a clinical assessment at the time of injury along with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound examinations. The complete series of tests and performance measurements will be repeated following a complete rehabilitation program and then again 12 weeks after the athletes have returned to their sport.