Low Horizontal Force Production Capacity during Sprinting as a Potential Risk Factor of Hamstring Injury in Football

Pascal Edouard; Johan Lahti; Ryu Nagahara; Pierre Samozino; Laurent Navarro; Kenny Guex; Jérémy Rossi; Matt Brughelli; Jurdan Mendiguchia; Jean-Benoît Morin

doi:10.3390/ijerph18157827

Low Horizontal Force Production Capacity during Sprinting as a Potential Risk Factor of Hamstring Injury in Football

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 23;18(15):7827. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18157827.

Authors

Pascal Edouard^{1

2}, Johan Lahti³, Ryu Nagahara^{4

5}, Pierre Samozino⁶, Laurent Navarro⁷, Kenny Guex^{8

9}, Jérémy Rossi¹, Matt Brughelli¹⁰, Jurdan Mendiguchia¹¹, Jean-Benoît Morin^{1

3

10}

Affiliations

¹ UJM-Saint-Etienne, Laboratory Interuniversity of Human Movement Sciences, University Lyon, EA 7424, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France.
² Sports Medicine Unity, Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, CEDEX 2, F-42055 Saint-Etienne, France.
³ LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, F-06200 Nice, France.
⁴ Sports Research and Development Core, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
⁵ Faculty of Sports and Budo Coaching Studies, National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Kagoshima 891-2393, Japan.
⁶ Laboratory Interuniversity of Human Movement Sciences, University Savoie Mont Blanc, EA 7424, F-73000 Chambéry, France.
⁷ Mines Saint-Etienne, Centre CIS, Université de Lyon, Université Jean Monnet, INSERM, U 1059 Sainbiose, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France.
⁸ School of Health Sciences (HESAV), HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁹ Department of Sprints, Hurdles and Relays, Swiss Athletics, Haus des Sports, 3063 Ittigen, Switzerland.
¹⁰ Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand.
¹¹ Department of Physical Therapy, Zentrum Rehabilitation and Performance Center, 31002 Pamplona, Spain.

Abstract

Clear decreases in horizontal force production capacity during sprint acceleration have been reported after hamstring injuries (HI) in football players. We hypothesized that lower F_H₀ is associated with a higher HI occurrence in football players. We aimed to analyze the association between sprint running horizontal force production capacities at low (F_H₀) and high (V₀) velocities, and HI occurrence in football. This prospective cohort study included 284 football players over one season. All players performed 30 m field sprints at the beginning and different times during the season. Sprint velocity data were used to compute sprint mechanical properties. Players' injury data were prospectively collected during the entire season. Cox regression analyses were performed using new HI as the outcome, and horizontal force production capacity (F_H₀ and V₀) was used at the start of the season (model 1) and at each measurement time point within the season (model 2) as explanatory variables, adjusted for individual players' (model 2) age, geographical group of players, height, body mass, and previous HI, with cumulative hours of football practice as the time scale. A total of 47 new HI (20% of all injuries) were observed in 38 out of 284 players (13%). There were no associations between F_H₀ and/or V₀ values at the start of the season and new HI occurrence during the season (model 1). During the season, a total of 801 measurements were performed, from one to six per player. Lower measured F_H₀ values were significantly associated with a higher risk of sustaining HI within the weeks following sprint measurement (HR = 2.67 (95% CI: 1.51 to 4.73), p < 0.001) (model 2). In conclusion, low horizontal force production capacities at low velocity during early sprint acceleration (F_H₀) may be considered as a potential additional factor associated with HI risk in a comprehensive, multifactorial, and individualized approach.

Keywords: hamstring strain; injury surveillance; prospective studies; risk factors; soccer; sports injury prevention; sprinting.

MeSH terms

Athletic Performance*
Humans
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Soccer*