A hamstring is one of several tendons that runs up and down in the back of your leg. If it is cut, you won’t be able to move your leg normally or walk. Metaphorically, we say someone is “hamstrung” if something completely prevents them from doing a good job at something they can normally do.
“Lisa is the best saxophone player in the band, but her performance was hamstrung by the defective saxophone reed.”
hamstring （ひかがみの腱）は膝の後ろを縦に走る腱です。切れると足が動かなくなり歩けません。いつも出来ることが全く出来なくなることを「ひかがみの腱を切られる」とたとえて言います。
例えば、「リサは楽団一のサックス奏者だけど、不良品のリードのせいでひかがみの腱を切られた」。
