Asymmetry after Hamstring Injury in English Premier League: Issue Resolved, Or Perhaps Not?

Abstract

Hamstring injuries constitute one of the most concerning injuries in English Premier League football, due to its high primary incidence but also its recurrence. Functional methods assessing hamstring function during high-risk performance tasks such as sprinting are vital to identify potential risk factors. The purpose of this study was to assess horizontal force deficits during maximum sprint running on a non-motorized treadmill in football players with previous history of hamstring strains as a pre-season risk-assessment in a club setting. 17 male football players from one Premier League Club were divided into 2 groups, experimental (n=6, age=24.5±2.3 years) and control (n=11, age=21.3±1.2 years), according to history of previous hamstring injury. Participants performed a protocol including a 10-s maximum sprint on a non-motorized treadmill. Force deficits during acceleration phase and steady state phases of the sprint were assessed between limbs and between groups. The main outcome measures were horizontal and vertical peak forces during the acceleration phase or steady state. There were no significant differences in peak forces between previously injured and non-injured limbs, or between groups, challenging the ideas around functional force deficits in sprint running as a diagnostic measure of hamstring re-injury risk.

Key words

horizontal force - sprint test - non motorized treadmill

• References

• 1 Arnason A, Andersen TE, Holme I, Engebretsen L, Bahr R. Prevention of hamstring strains in elite soccer: an intervention study. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2008; 18: 40-48
• 2 Arnason A, Sigurdsson SB, Gudmundsson A, Holme I, Engebretsen L, Bahr R. Risk factors for injuries in football. Am J Sports Med 2004; 32: 5S
• 3 Askling C, Karlsson J, Thorstensson A. Hamstring occurrence in elite soccer players after preseason strength with eccentric overload. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2003; 13: 244-250
• 4 Brughelli M, Cronin J, Chaouachi A. Effects of running velocity on running kinetics and kinematics. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 933-939
• 5 Brughelli M, Cronin J, Mendiguchia J, Kinsella D, Nosaka K. Contralateral leg deficits in kinetic and kinematic variables during running in Australian Rules Football players with previous hamstring injuries. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 2539-2544
• 6 Cameron M, Adams R, Maher C. Motor control and strength as predictors of hamstring injury in elite players of Australian football. Phys Ther Sport 2003; 4: 159-166
• 7 Ekstrand J, Hägglund M, Walden M. Injury incidence and injury patterns in professional football: the UEFA injury study. Br J Sports Med 2011; 45: 553-558
• 8 Engebretsen AH, Myklebust G, Holme I, Engebretsen L, Bahr R. Intrinsic risk factors for hamstring injuries among male soccer players: a prospective cohort study. Am J Sports Med 2010; 38: 1147-1153
• 9 Hagglund M, Walden M, Ekstrand J. Risk factors for lower extremity muscle injury in professional soccer. Am J Sports Med 2013; 41: 327-335
• 10 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sports and exercise science research: 2014 update. Int J Sports Med 2013; 34: 1025-1028
• 11 Hawkins RD, Hulse MA, Wilkinson C. The association football medical research programme: an audit of injuries in professional football. Br J Sports Med 2001; 35: 43-47
• 12 Highton JM, Lamb KL, Twist C, Nicholas C. The reliability and validity of short distance sprint performance assessed on a nonmotorized treadmill. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 458-465
• 13 Hopker JG, Coleman DA, Jonathan DW, Calbraith A. Familiarisation and reliability of sprint test indices during laboratory and field assessment. J Sports Sci Med 2009; 8: 528-532
• 14 Hughes MG, Doherty M, Tong RJ, Reilly Cable NT. Reliability of repeated sprint exercise in non-motorised treadmill ergometry. Int J Sports Med 2006; 27: 900-904
• 15 Lim JM, Chia MYH. Reliability of power output derived from the nonmotorized treadmill test. J Strength Cond Res 2007; 21: 993-996
• 16 Morin JB, Sève P. Sprint running performance: comparison between treadmill and field conditions. Eur J Appl Physiol 2011; 111: 1695-1703
• 17 Mendiguchia J, Alerton-Geli E, Brughelli M. Hamstring strain injuries: are we heading in the right direction?. Br J Sports Med 2011; 46: 81-85
• 18 Oliver JL, Armstrong N, Williams CA. Reliability and validity of a soccer-specific test of prolonged repeated-sprint ability. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2007; 2: 137-149
• 19 Opar DA, Williams MD, Timmins RG, Dear NM, Shield AJ. Rate of torque and electromyographic development during anticipated eccentric contraction is lower in previously strained hamstrings. Am J Sports Med 2013; 41: 116-125
• 20 Orchard JW. Hamstrings are most susceptible to injury during the early stance phase of sprinting. Br J Sports Med 2011; 46: 88-89
• 21 Petersen J, Thorborg K. Preventive effect of eccentric training on acute hamstring injuries in men’s soccer. Am J Sports Med 2011; 39: 2296-2303
• 22 Prior M, Guerin M, Grimmer K. An evidence-approach to hamstring strain injury: a systematic review of the literature. Sports Health 2009; 1: 154-164
• 23 Sherry MA, Best TM. A comparison of 2 rehabilitation programs in the treatment of acute hamstring strain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2004; 34: 116-125
• 24 Silder A, Reeder SB, Thelen DG. The influence of prior hamstring injury on lengthening muscle tissue mechanics. J Biomech 2010; 43: 2254-2260
• 25 Sole G, Milosavljevic S, Nicholson H, Sullivan SJ. Altered muscle activation following hamstring injuries. Br J Sports Med 2011; 46: 118-123
• 26 Sole G, Milosavljevic S, Nicholson H, Sullivan SJ. Selective strength loss and decreased muscle activity in hamstring injury. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2011; 4: 354-363
• 27 Tong RJ, Bell W, Ball G, Winter EM. Reliability of power output measurements during repeated treadmill sprinting in rugby players. J Sports Sci 2001; 19: 289-297
• 28 Woods C, Hawkins RD, Maltby S, Hulse M, Thomas A, Hodson A. The Football Association Medical Research Programme: an audit of injuries in professional football-analysis of hamstring injuries. Br J Sports Med 2004; 38: 36-41