Int J Sports Med 2020; 41(03): 154-160
DOI: 10.1055/a-1034-7854
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effects of Nordic Hamstring Exercise on Hamstring Injuries in High School Soccer Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Yuki Hasebe
1   Department of Rehabilitation, Saitama Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
2   Department of Physical Therapy, Saitama Medical University Graduate School of Medicine, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan
,
Kiyokazu Akasaka
2   Department of Physical Therapy, Saitama Medical University Graduate School of Medicine, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan
3   School of Physical Therapy, Saitama Medical University Faculty of Health and Medical Care, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan
,
Takahiro Otsudo
2   Department of Physical Therapy, Saitama Medical University Graduate School of Medicine, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan
3   School of Physical Therapy, Saitama Medical University Faculty of Health and Medical Care, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan
,
Yomei Tachibana
4   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saitama Medical University Hospital, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan
,
Toby Hall
5   School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University -Perth City Campus, Perth, Australia
6   Manual Concept, Perth, Australia
,
Mitsuru Yamamoto
1   Department of Rehabilitation, Saitama Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted 11 October 2019

Publication Date:
05 January 2020 (online)

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Abstract

We evaluated a range of physical characteristics related to hamstring injuries, as well as the Nordic Hamstring Exercise compliance rate, and whether this influenced the rate hamstring injury. Subjects comprised 259 male soccer players from seven high schools randomly clustered into two groups, a Nordic Hamstring Exercise group and a control group. Training and match time were logged, as well as details of hamstring injury, and subsequent time lost to hamstring injury recorded over a period of 27 weeks. The Nordic Hamstring Exercise compliance rate, injury rate per 10000 playing hours and time-lost-to-sport-injury rate were calculated. The relative risk and hamstring injury severity were also calculated. The hamstring injury rate was 1.04/10 000 h in the control group and 0.88/10 000 h in the intervention group. The relative risk for hamstring injury was 1.14. The time-lost to injury rate was 1116.3/10 000 h in the control group and 113.7/10 000 h in the intervention group; with relative risk 9.81. The Nordic Hamstring Exercise in high school soccer players significantly reduced hamstring injury severity compared to a control intervention. Our results indicate that the time-lost to injury rate should be taken into account when analyzing the severity of hamstring injury.