Affiliations: [a] Pôle de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, CHU
Nantes, 44035 Nantes cedex 01, France | [b] Service de Médecine du Sport, Hôpital Saint
Jacques, CHU Nantes, 44035 Nantes cedex 01, France | [c] Unité de biologie et de Médecine du Sport, CHU
Rennes, 35033 Rennes cedex 09, France
Abstract: Twenty-eight elite soccer players (23 years ±
3.3; 74 kg ±7.5; 178 cm ± 6.5) were
tested to find out whether isokinetic parameters could identify sportsmen who
had previously suffered from hamstring muscle injury. Eleven players with 15 previous moderate or major hamstring muscle
injuries in the preceding 2 years were compared with 17 controls. Strength was
measured using a Cybex Norm isokinetic dynamometer on a concentric and
eccentric contraction at the angular speed of 60°/s.
An ipsilateral concentric Hamstring-to-Quadriceps ratio lower than 0.6 and an
eccentric hamstring asymmetry of more than 10% did not enable identification
of soccer players with previous hamstring muscle injury. On the other hand,
concentric hamstring torque asymmetry of more than 10% identified the
uninjured soccer players (probability of 90.1%). A dynamic control ratio
(eccentric hamstring-to-concentric quadriceps) lower than 0.6 provided the best
predictor of previous hamstring muscle injury (probability of 77.5%). In
conclusion, concentric and eccentric isokinetic evaluation of hamstring muscle
at the speed of 60°/s renders the search for previous
hamstring muscle injury possible by revealing muscle torque asymmetry, which
persists despite the resumption of competitive soccer.
