Muscle strain injuries in athletes are common and imaging now plays a crucial role in diagnosis, prognosis and management of athletes with muscle injuries. This study demonstrates the use of imaging modalities in assessing muscle strain injuries and analyses the relationship between different sports and muscle strain location.

This prospective study included 72 ultrasonography (US) examinations and interview information with athletes with sustained muscle strain injuries. Investigations were carried out at Clinic of Orthopedics ''ORTO'' with TOSHIBA XARIOS 14.0 Hz linear probe and at the Latvian Olympic team with GE Healthcare Vivid S6 linear probe 13.0 Hz. US findings and survey data were recorded in a questionnaire. The data were entered into MS Office Excel and analysed in SPSS V.20 program.

Of the total 72 muscle strain injuries most frequently strains were diagnosed in track and field athletes (27.8%), then came footballers (13.9%), hockey (13.9%) and tennis players (13.9%) . Muscle strains typically occur at the myotendinous junction (55.6%) (Fig.2) . The posterior thigh muscle group, i.e. hamstrings, strains account for a half of the case (52.8%). Hamstring muscle strains were more frequent in track and field athletes (47.4%)(Fig.1), front thigh muscle group strains in basketball players (50.2%), medial thigh muscle group strains in football players...

Musculoskeletal US and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the best methods for assessing muscle strain injuries. The availability, low cost, ease of examination, and dynamic capability of US favour its use in the initial assessment of muscle strains. MRI is more sensitive for follow-up imaging of healing and is a superior tool for estimating recovery time and prognosis. Muscle strain injuries commonly occur in track and field athletes at the myotendinous junction in hamstring muscles.

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