The Effect of 6 Week Hamstring Exercise Programs on Hamstring Muscle Function Performance in Female Athletes

NCT05733273 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2022_ATT_EW_15
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 47
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to compare the effect of two hamstring strengthening programs on hamstring muscle strength in female university athletes. 60 participants will be recruited for this study. They will be randomly assigned to one of two 6-week hamstring strengthening programs, namely the single leg bridge exercise and the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol, and one control group. Eccentric and isometric hamstring strength, gluteal strength and will sprint speed will be measured before and after the intervention.

Conditions

Hamstring Injury

Keywords

Eccentric hamstring strength; Sprint performance; Nordic hamstring exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• eccentric hamstring strength

  This will be measured using devices that measure the eccentric strength of the hamstrings during the Nordic hamstring exercise. The devices are called the Hamstring Solo device and the Nordbord device. Participants will kneel on the padded surface of the device with their lower limbs held in position just above the ankles. The ankle supports have load sensitive cells. The participants will be asked to complete the nordic hamstring exercise. This involves them folding their arms across their chest and slowly lowering themselves towards the ground by allowing their knees to slowly straighten. The load cells will record the force (newtons) during the exercise for each leg.

  Change from baseline 6 weeks

• eccentric hamstring moment

  This will be measured using devices that measure the eccentric strength of the hamstrings during the Nordic hamstring exercise. The devices are called the Hamstring Solo device and the Nordbord device. Participants will kneel on the padded surface of the device with their lower limbs held in position just above the ankles. The ankle supports have load sensitive cells. The participants will be asked to complete the nordic hamstring exercise. This involves them folding their arms across their chest and slowly lowering themselves towards the ground by allowing their knees to slowly straighten. The load cells will record the force (newtons) during the exercise for each leg. The distance from the load cells to the knee joint will be measured (meters) to calculate the moment in Newton meters for the exercise

  Change from baseline 6 weeks

• isometric hamstring strength and moment

  Isometric knee flexor strength will be assessed by placing the participant in prone with the hip in 0° extension and 30° in knee flexion. The investigator will hold the dynamometer 5cm above the lateral malleolus in the posterior midline. The participant will be asked to bend their knee by attempting to pull their heel towards their bottom

  Change from baseline 6 weeks

• isometric hip extensor strength and moment

  Hip extensor strength will be assessed by placing the participant in a prone position with their tested leg in 0° hip extension and 90° knee flexion. The handheld dynomometer will be held by the investigator against the heel of the participant. The participant will be instructed to raise their leg upwards against the resistance of the investigator. This will be repeated with the hip placed in 30 degrees flexion

  Change from baseline 6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Sprint performance

  Change from baseline 6 weeks

• Muscle soreness following exercise

  Following each session

Study Arms (3)

Nordic Hamstring exercise program

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants are required to kneel on a gym mat keeping their hips in a slightly flexed position and to slowly lower themselves in a controlled manner as far as they could towards the ground. When they can no longer lower themselves as such, they are instructed to utilise their arms to buffer the fall and touch their chest off the ground, while maintaining tension in their hamstrings. Once their chest touches the ground they are instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands

Other: Nordic hamstring exercise program

Single leg hamstring bridge exercise program

EXPERIMENTAL

The single-leg hamstring bridge is performed with the athlete lying on the ground with one heel supported by their partner, the hip in approximately 45° and the knee in approximately 20° of flexion. The participants cross their arms across the chest and push down through the heel to lift their buttocks off the ground. The participant should allow their buttocks to touch the ground momentarily and then the hip should be extended to 0°.

Other: Single leg bridge exercise program

Razor curl

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants are required to kneel on a gym mat and flex their hips and knees to approximately 90 degrees. They then allow their body to descend towards the ground by extending at the knees and hip simultaneously. When they can no longer lower themselves as such, they are instructed to utilise their arms to buffer the fall and touch their chest off the ground, while maintaining tension in their hamstrings. Once their chest touches the ground they are instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands

Other: Hamstring razor curl

Interventions

Nordic hamstring exercise program OTHER

Week 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 -3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps

Nordic Hamstring exercise program

Single leg bridge exercise program OTHER

Week 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 -3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps

Single leg hamstring bridge exercise program

Hamstring razor curl OTHER

Week 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 -3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps

Razor curl

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• female
• university athlete competing in team sports at least three times per week
• free from hamstring injury in previous 6 months

You may not qualify if:

• history of a hip or knee injury in the 3 months prior to the study
• a history of anterior cruciate ligament rupture
• a history of involvement in a hamstring strengthening, injury prevention programme in the 3 months prior to the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dublin City University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dublin City University

Dublin, Ireland

Location

Study Officials

• Enda Whyte, PhD

  Dublin City University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2023
• First Posted: February 17, 2023
• Study Start: February 15, 2023
• Primary Completion: May 6, 2023
• Study Completion: May 12, 2023
• Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Record last verified: 2023-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IE (1)