TY - JOUR
TI - Knee Extension Strength and Hamstrings-to-Quadriceps Imbalances in Elite Soccer Players
AU - Bogdanis, G.C.
AU - Kalapotharakos, V.I.
JO - International Journal of Sports Medicine
PY - 2015
VL - 37
TODO - 2
SP - 119-124
PB - Georg Thieme Verlag
SN - 0172-4622, 1439-3964
TODO - 10.1055/s-0035-1559686
TODO - human;  knee;  male;  muscle contraction;  muscle strength;  physiology;  quadriceps femoris muscle;  skeletal muscle;  soccer;  thigh;  torque;  young adult, Humans;  Knee Joint;  Male;  Muscle Contraction;  Muscle Strength;  Muscle, Skeletal;  Quadriceps Muscle;  Soccer;  Thigh;  Torque;  Young Adult
TODO - This study examined the relationship between hamstrings-to-quadriceps strength ratio (H:Q) and relative strength of the knee extensors in elite soccer players. Peak torque was measured during isokinetic knee extension/flexion at angular velocities of 60°·s-1, 180°·s-1 and 300°·s-1. 18 professional players were divided into 2 groups, depending on their H:Q at 60°·s-1. Players in the lower H:Q group (n=7) had significantly smaller H:Q ratios compared with the higher H:Q group (n=11) at all angular velocities (60°·s-1: 49.2%; 95% CI: 61.3-57.8% vs. 59.5%; 95% CI: 52.2-46.2%, p=0.001). Players in the lower H:Q group had greater knee-extension peak torque compared with the higher H:Q group (60°·s-1: 313; 95% CI: 335-291 vs. 269; 95% CI: 289-250 N·m, p=0.01). No differences were found in hamstrings' strength between the 2 groups (60°·s-1: 156; 95% CI: 170-143 vs. 160; 95% CI: 173-148 N·m, p=0.96). Negative correlations between knee extension peak torque and H:Q ratio were observed at all angular velocities (r=-0.65 to -0.67, p<0.01). In conclusion, a low H:Q strength ratio measured during isokinetic strength testing in professional soccer players, is observed mainly in those with strong quadriceps muscles, while players with lower quadriceps strength have H:Q ratios around the recommended values. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
ER -