A Comparison of Hip Extension and Nordic Hamstring Exercise Programmes on Isokinetic Hamstring Strength

October 4, 2018 updated by: Dublin City University
This study aimed to compare the effect of two hamstring strengthening programmes on hamstring muscle strength in Gaelic footballers. 26 Gaelic footballers were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two 4-week hamstring strengthening programmes, namely the hip extension exercise programme and the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol. Isokinetic hamstring and quadriceps strength were measured before and after the intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Recruitment:

Participants were recruited from the local university sports clubs. Club chairpersons were asked to send an email to club players. Players interested in participating in the study expressed an interest by replying to the email. Potential participants were asked to attend a meeting where they had the study explained to them. Those who were interested were then assessed for inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Group allocation:

A four block randomisation method was used to allocate participants to the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol or the hip extension exercise protocol.

Interventions:

The Nordic hamstring exercise protocol or the hip extension exercise protocol

Testing procedure:

The isokinetic strength of the participants' hamstrings and quadriceps were recorded before and after the exercise intervention.

A 10 point visual analogue scale was used to record the level of muscle soreness experienced after each training session.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

26

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years to 33 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • male
  • free from hamstring injury in the 6 months prior to the study
  • currently playing Gaelic football at a varsity level on at least three occasions per week

Exclusion Criteria:

  • 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.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Nordic Hamstring Exercise Group
Participants were 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 could no longer lower themselves as such, they were 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 touched the ground they were instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands.
Other: Nordic hamstring exercise
The exercise protocol consisted of the following sets and repetitions Week 1 - 2 sessions with 2 sets of 6 repetitions. Week 2 - 2 sessions with 3 sets of 6 repetitions Week 3 - 2 sessions with 4 sets of 8 repetitions. Week 4 - 2 sessions with 4 sets of 10 repetitions.
Experimental: Hip Extension Exercise Group
The participant lay on an exercise bench at a 45° angle with their hips held just over the top of the bench, their trunk erect and hips extended and their heel supported. Participants slowly flexed their hip until they reached 90° from the starting position and were then required to return to the starting position by extending through the hip while maintaining a neutral pelvic and trunk posture throughout. This exercise was then repeated on the opposite leg
Other: Hip extension exercise
The exercise protocol consisted of the following sets and repetitions Week 1 - 2 sessions with 2 sets of 6 repetitions. Week 2 - 2 sessions with 3 sets of 6 repetitions Week 3 - 2 sessions with 4 sets of 8 repetitions. Week 4 - 2 sessions with 4 sets of 10 repetitions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Peak isokinetic eccentric hamstring strength at 60°.s-1
Time Frame: Change from baseline assessment at six weeks
This was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer
Change from baseline assessment at six weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Functional hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio at 60°.s-1
Time Frame: Change from baseline assessment at six weeks
This was calculated by dividing the peak isokinetic, eccentric hamstring strength at 60°.s-1 by the peak isokinetic, concentric quadriceps strength at 60°.s-1
Change from baseline assessment at six weeks
Between limb, isokinetic eccentric hamstring strength asymmetries
Time Frame: Change from baseline assessment at six weeks
Between limb eccentric strength percentage asymmetries were calculated as a non-dominant/dominant ratio converted to percentage difference using log transformation.
Change from baseline assessment at six weeks
Muscle soreness rating following exercise
Time Frame: 1 minute at the end of each intervention session

Participants used a 10 point visual analogue scale to record the level of muscle soreness experienced after training sessions.

The scale consisted of a single scale of 0 to 10 where 0 was no soreness at all and 10 was the greatest soreness they could imagine. A higher score indicated a worse outcome. There are no subscales included in this.
1 minute at the end of each intervention session

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Dublin City University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Siobhán O'Connor, PhD, Dublin City University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 5, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 30, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

April 30, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 27, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 4, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

October 5, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 5, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 4, 2018

Last Verified

October 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2016_007_EW

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Undecided

IPD Plan Description

Anonymised data may be shared to allow future analysis by other researchers

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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