Does the Eccentric Strength Profile of the Hamstrings Determine the Severity of Injury Sustained?

Abstract

Background and purpose: Understanding how strength profiles of footballers effect the extent or location of injury sustained is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eccentric hamstrings strength (EHS), on the resultant injury sustained, graded utilizing the British Athletic Muscle Injury Classification, diagnosed via MRI.

Methods: EHS of 95 professional footballers were assessed on match-day minus two (MD-2) and plus two (MD+2). Participants completed three maximal repetitions of the bilateral Nordic hamstring exercises. Metrics included Peak Force (PF), Peak Torque (PkT), Average Force (AvF), Average Torque (AvT), Maximum Impulse (MI), Impulse Symmetry (IS), PF symmetry (PFS), PkT symmetry (PkTS) and relative strength (RS). Profiles were identified in relation to the date the injury was sustained.

Results: EHS across all metrics with the exemption of PkT, had no effect on injury grade, site or playing level. Tendon injuries were the most frequently occurring injury location, specifically grade 3c. Athlete strength had no effect on whether an injury was sustained or grade of injury.

Conclusion: The occurrence of tendon related injury is high within this study population and may be a result of the physical strength of the muscle tissue, combined with game play demands, exposing the tendon to greater forces, thus heightening the extent of injury sustained. Level of Evidence - 3.