Information about project titled 'A comparison of the effects of two different exercises to improve maximal hamstring muscle strength among male footballers'
A comparison of the effects of two different exercises to improve maximal hamstring muscle strength among male footballers
| Details about the project - category | Details about the project - value |
|---|---|
| Project status: | Published |
| Project manager: | Roald Mjølsnes |
| Supervisor(s): | Roald Bahr |
| Coworker(s): | Jostein Hallèn, Truls Raastad, Arni Arnason |
Description
Background: Hamstringsstrains are the most common acute injury in elitefootball both in Norway and at Iceland (Arnason 2001).
This project is built upon the assumption that lack of strength in the hamstrings is an important causative factor to hamstrings strains (ex. Orchard et al 1997). The question is which strength exercise is the most effective of the Nordic Hamstrings and the traditional Hamstrings curl to build maximal power in male senior footballers.
Method: 20 subjects recruited among students from Norwegian College of Sports and Physical education are block randomized into a Nordic Hamstrings (NH)- and a Hamstrings curl (HC)-group. Both groups are going to train tree times a week for 10 weeks. All the subjects have to do a pre-test and a similar post-test to measure the strength development from the training period. The test protocol consists of 3 different strength-tests in a Cybex 6000: Concentric quadriceps at 60°/s, eccentric hamstrings at 60°/s and isometric hamstrings at 90°, 60° and 30°. Concentric quadriceps is measured to get an estimate of the ratio between hamstrings and quadriceps. The training protocol is similar in both groups, starting with 2 sets of 6 reps then progressively increase the training amount to 3 sets of 8-12 reps. HC is performed in a traditional hamstrings curl-machine, whereas NH is performed standing on your knee with a partner fixating your feet to the ground, then leaning forward until chest touch the ground. Both exercises have an eccentric and a concentric phase with strongest focus on the eccentric phase in NH and the concentric phase in HC.
Consequences: If NH is as effective ore even more effective than the HC in developing maximal power in footballers, then this exercise would be an effective and practical help to prophylaxis of hamstringsstrains in football teams.