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Int J Sports Med 2020; 41(04): 233-241
DOI: 10.1055/a-1073-7809
Training & Testing
© © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Influence of a Field Hamstring Eccentric Training on Muscle Strength and Flexibility

François Delvaux 
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Cedric Schwartz
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
2   Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Thibault Decréquy
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Thibault Devalckeneer
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Julien Paulus
2   Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Stephen Bornheim 
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Jean-François Kaux
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
,
Jean-Louis Croisier
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, IOC Research Center for prevention and athlete health, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, FIMS Collaborating Center of Sports Medicine, University and CHU of Liege, Liege, Belgium
2   Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted 21 November 2019

Publication Date:
14 January 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Muscle strength imbalances and poor flexibility are frequently described as risk factors for hamstring injury. Preventive strategies include eccentric exercises, but the influence of field eccentric exercises on these risk factors remains unclear. We investigated the influence of a field hamstring eccentric program on hamstring strength and flexibility. Twenty-seven amateur athletes were randomly assigned to an intervention (n=13) or control group (n=14). In the intervention group, participants were involved in 15 sessions of four eccentric exercises. Peak torque, hamstring-to-quadriceps ratios, passive and active flexibility were analyzed. No significant modifications of strength, passive or active flexibility were observed in the control group (p>0.05). Hamstring eccentric peak torque (+7.1%) and functional hamstring-to-quadriceps ratios (9.3%) were significantly increased (p<0.05) in the intervention group, but not concentric strength (p<0.05). Passive straight leg raise was significantly increased by 11.4° (+12.7%, p<0.001), but not active flexibility (+3.1%, p>0.05). In conclusion, a 6-week eccentric program, including four field exercises for hamstring muscles, is an effective method of improving eccentric strength, functional ratios and, especially, passive flexibility. As this program may be easily implemented in a real-world context, this association of multiple eccentric exercises might be useful in an injury prevention strategy.

Key word

injury prevention - thigh - muscle performance - field
 

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