Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40322525›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of sports physical therapy2025

Hamstring T-Junction Surgical Repair: An Elite Footballer's Return to Play Journey Through a New Football-Centered Complex Approach.

Massimo Zanovello, Mattia Bianchi, Lasse Lempainen, Marco Marano, Franco Bidoglio, Luis Suarez-Arrones

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of sports physical therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Myotendinous Junction development and repair.Journal of orthopaedic translation · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Massimo ZanovelloPerformance & Medical Department FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3925-5153
Mattia BianchiPerformance & Medical Department FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1683-4459
Lasse LempainenFinnOrthopaedics, Hospital Pihlajalinna, Turku, Finland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9877-1342
Marco MaranoPerformance & Medical Department FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland.
Franco BidoglioPerformance & Medical Department FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland.
Luis Suarez-ArronesPerfomance & Medical Department FC Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5432-4786

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: 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. Study design: Case Report. Case description: 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. Outcomes: 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. Conclusions: 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. Level of evidence: 5.

Indexed as

distal musculotendinous T-JunctionFootballhamstringReturn to Playsurgery

Identifiers

PMID40322525
PMCPMC12048364

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.