This study looked at video footage of male soccer players to understand how hamstring injuries happen. They found that players were much more likely to get hurt during non-contact moves compared to indirect contact situations. Sprinting was also a bigger risk factor than mixed types of movement.
However, the study did not find clear differences when comparing sprinting to stretching. Playing on offense versus defense also did not change the risk of getting hurt. Injuries happened just as often in the first half of the game as they did in the second half.
Experts say these findings can help create new ideas for preventing injuries. But the video evidence alone cannot prove that specific training will stop these injuries from happening. More research is needed because the studies used different ways to define injuries and analyze videos.
The results are limited because there were not many studies included in this review. Also, the data only looked at male players, so it might not apply to female athletes or other sports.