The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players
Background: Hamstring strains are the most common moderate-major severity injuries in football. The majority of hamstring injuries occur during sprinting, with low eccentric hamstring strength being associated with an elevated risk. Objective: To examine the relationship between sprinting and eccent...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Sports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/10/8/125 |
| _version_ | 1797407912841183232 |
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| author | Sunnan Shah Kieran Collins Lewis J. Macgregor |
| author_facet | Sunnan Shah Kieran Collins Lewis J. Macgregor |
| author_sort | Sunnan Shah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Hamstring strains are the most common moderate-major severity injuries in football. The majority of hamstring injuries occur during sprinting, with low eccentric hamstring strength being associated with an elevated risk. Objective: To examine the relationship between sprinting and eccentric hamstring strength by monitoring total weekly sprint distance and weekly efforts > 90% and >95% of maximum velocity. Methods: Fifty-eight professional male footballers were observed over one-and-a-half seasons. Players’ running was monitored during training and matches using GPS, and eccentric hamstring strength was measured weekly. Results: Weekly sprint distance (ρ = −0.13, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and weekly efforts >90% of maximum velocity (ρ = −0.08, <i>p</i> = 0.01) both displayed significant inverse relationships with the percentage change in eccentric hamstring strength; weekly efforts >95% of maximum velocity showed no relationship with hamstring strength (ρ = −0.02, <i>p</i> = 0.45). Only weekly efforts >90% of maximum velocity significantly influenced the mean percentage change in eccentric hamstring force, F<sub>(3,58)</sub> = 3.71, <i>p</i> = 0.01, with significant differences occurring when comparing 7–8 sprint efforts with 0–2 efforts (0.11%, <i>p</i> = 0.03) and 5–6 efforts (0.12%, <i>p</i> = 0.03). Conclusions: Eccentric hamstring strength levels significantly decrease when 7–8 weekly sprint efforts are completed at >90% of maximum velocity. Monitoring weekly sprint loading at velocities > 90% of maximum velocity may be valuable to help to reduce the risk of hamstring injuries in professional football. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:50:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91ed02b176aa4f90b506591458c21877 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:50:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj.art-91ed02b176aa4f90b506591458c218772023-12-03T14:28:48ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632022-08-0110812510.3390/sports10080125The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football PlayersSunnan Shah0Kieran Collins1Lewis J. Macgregor2Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UKGaelic Sports Research Centre, Institute of Technology Tallaght, D24 FKT9 Dublin, IrelandFaculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UKBackground: Hamstring strains are the most common moderate-major severity injuries in football. The majority of hamstring injuries occur during sprinting, with low eccentric hamstring strength being associated with an elevated risk. Objective: To examine the relationship between sprinting and eccentric hamstring strength by monitoring total weekly sprint distance and weekly efforts > 90% and >95% of maximum velocity. Methods: Fifty-eight professional male footballers were observed over one-and-a-half seasons. Players’ running was monitored during training and matches using GPS, and eccentric hamstring strength was measured weekly. Results: Weekly sprint distance (ρ = −0.13, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and weekly efforts >90% of maximum velocity (ρ = −0.08, <i>p</i> = 0.01) both displayed significant inverse relationships with the percentage change in eccentric hamstring strength; weekly efforts >95% of maximum velocity showed no relationship with hamstring strength (ρ = −0.02, <i>p</i> = 0.45). Only weekly efforts >90% of maximum velocity significantly influenced the mean percentage change in eccentric hamstring force, F<sub>(3,58)</sub> = 3.71, <i>p</i> = 0.01, with significant differences occurring when comparing 7–8 sprint efforts with 0–2 efforts (0.11%, <i>p</i> = 0.03) and 5–6 efforts (0.12%, <i>p</i> = 0.03). Conclusions: Eccentric hamstring strength levels significantly decrease when 7–8 weekly sprint efforts are completed at >90% of maximum velocity. Monitoring weekly sprint loading at velocities > 90% of maximum velocity may be valuable to help to reduce the risk of hamstring injuries in professional football.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/10/8/125injury risksprint distancesprint effortsstrength and conditioningNordic Hamstring ExerciseNordBord |
| spellingShingle | Sunnan Shah Kieran Collins Lewis J. Macgregor The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players Sports injury risk sprint distance sprint efforts strength and conditioning Nordic Hamstring Exercise NordBord |
| title | The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players |
| title_full | The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players |
| title_short | The Influence of Weekly Sprint Volume and Maximal Velocity Exposures on Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Professional Football Players |
| title_sort | influence of weekly sprint volume and maximal velocity exposures on eccentric hamstring strength in professional football players |
| topic | injury risk sprint distance sprint efforts strength and conditioning Nordic Hamstring Exercise NordBord |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/10/8/125 |
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