Title
Hamstring rate of torque development is more affected than maximal voluntary contraction after a professional soccer match
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
European Journal of Sport Science
ISSN
1536-7290
Volume
19
Issue
10
First Page
1336
Last Page
1341
PubMed ID
31099729
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
31146
Abstract
Match-induced fatigue of knee muscle strength and agonist-antagonist strength-ratios may affect both performance and risk of injury in soccer players. Once explosive tasks are imperative in soccer as well as hamstring strain injuries occur during high-velocity moments, rapid force capacity of this muscle group is especially important. This study evaluated the effect of match-induced fatigue on knee muscle strength and strength-ratio parameters after a single professional soccer match. Male professional soccer players (n = 16; 24.2 ± 3.9 years) were tested before and after a soccer match (56.2 ± 22.6 min of playing) for knee flexors (hamstring) and extensors (quadriceps) isometric peak torque (MVC) and rate of torque development (RTD) – as well as the hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio (H:Q) – at 30° of knee flexion. Knee injuries often occur at this joint angle, which is common in sprinting, pivoting, sidecutting, and jumping. Match-induced fatigue caused a left shift in the knee extensors torque-time curve with no significant change in both early (i.e. 0–50 ms) and late (i.e. 0–200 ms) RTD, and a right shift in the knee flexors torque-time curve with a decrease in early RTD (∼16%, p = .029) and late RTD (∼11%, p = .011). Knee extensors and knee flexors peak torque remained unchanged (p > .05). Early RTD H:Q decreased by∼24% (p = .027), while late RTD H:Q and MVC H:Q remained unchanged (p > .05). In conclusion, match-induced fatigue impaired the ability to rapidly produce force at an angle where injuries are most susceptible to occur. Important information is missed if only the traditional H:Q is considered.
DOI
10.1080/17461391.2019.1620863
Access Rights
subscription content
Research Themes
Society and Culture
Priority Areas
Human movement and performance
Comments
Grazioli, R., Lopez, P., Andersen, L. L., Machado, C. L. F., Pinto, M. D., Cadore, E. L., & Pinto, R. S. (2019). Hamstring rate of torque development is more affected than maximal voluntary contraction after a professional soccer match. European Journal of Sport Science, 19(10), 1336-1341.
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