<p>Over the last 10 years there has been accumulating evidence regarding the epidemiology, aetiology, pathophysiology and management of hamstring strain injuries. However, despite our increasing knowledge base, epidemiological data confirms that hamstring strain injury incidence remain high. Furthermore, high rates of injury recurrence are arguably the most troublesome aspect of hamstring strains because recurring injuries often result in substantially more lost playing time than the original insults. Previous studies have suggested that the activation patterns of each hamstring muscle are not uniform during hip-based and knee-based training as well as during sprinting. The mechanism underlying activation differences among these muscles may involve morphological differences, which may reflect each muscle's function. In addition, the biceps femoris long head muscle is the most frequently injured area and is susceptible to strain injury during high-speed or high-intensity situations such as sprinting. Thus, to protect the biceps femoris long head from strain injury, an improved understanding of the patterns of hamstring muscle activation during injury inducing movements, such as sprinting, as well as during strength training is necessary. Therefore, the objectives of this article are to provide better comprehension of (i) site-specific activation patterns of the hamstring muscle during sprint performance and during commonly employed strength training exercises, and (ii) the effects of exercise selection on hamstring strain injury risk. This may contribute to sports clinicians and strength and conditioning coaches who specifically design training, injury prevention and rehabilitation programs in respect of hamstring muscle strain based on scientific evidence.</p>