The Relationship Between Hamstring Shortness and Postural Control in Football Players: A Pilot Study

Year 2023, , 419 - 428, 29.12.2023

Ömer Çalışkan , Bayram Sönmez Ünüvar , Abdullah Arguz , Furkan Korkusuz , Ramazan Göğebakan , Nurtekin Erkmen

https://doi.org/10.17155/omuspd.1361009

Abstract

Hamstring muscles significantly contribute to lower limb mobility and overall body balance. Specifically, hamstring muscle tightness has been suggested as a potential factor affecting an athlete’s postural control. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse by investigating the possible relationship between hamstring muscle tightness and postural control among football players. Sixteen male football players (mean age: 20.19 ± 2.17 years, body mass index: 22.01 ± 1.82 kg/m2) with hamstring muscle tightness participated in this cross-sectional study. The assessment of hamstring muscle tightness was conducted through the Active Knee Extension Test. Additionally, the participants’ postural control was evaluated using the Biodex Balance System. The correlation between Active Knee Extension Angle and Postural Control was analyzed through Spearman correlation test. No significant relationship was found between the active knee extension angles of both dominant and non-dominant legs and the postural control measurements (p > 0.05). The study revealed a lack of correlation between active knee extension angle and postural control among football players with hamstring muscle tightness. These findings indicate that hamstring muscle tightness may not impact postural control. Furthermore, it is observed that research involving broader and more diverse participant groups is needed to comprehensively understand this relationship.

Keywords

Football, Hamstring Muscles, Postural Balance

Futbolcularda Hamstring Kas Kısalığı ve Postüral Kontrol Arasındaki İlişki: Pilot Çalışma

Abstract

Hamstring kasları alt ekstremite hareketliliğine ve genel vücut dengesine önemli ölçüde katkıda bulunur. Özellikle, hamstring kas gerginliğinin bir sporcunun postüral kontrolünü etkileyen potansiyel bir faktör olduğu öne sürülmüştür. Bu nedenle, bu çalışma futbolcular arasında hamstring kas gerginliği ve postüral kontrol arasındaki olası ilişkiyi araştırarak litaretüre katkı sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu kesitsel çalışmaya hamstring kas gerginliği olan 16 erkek futbolcu (ortalama yaş: 20,19 ± 2,17 yıl, vücut kitle indeksi: 22,01 ± 1,82 kg/m2) katılmıştır. Hamstring kas gerginliğinin değerlendirilmesi Aktif Diz Ekstansiyon Testi ile yapılmıştır. Ayrıca, katılımcıların postüral kontrolü Biodex Denge Sistemi kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Aktif Diz Ekstansiyon Açısı ve Postüral Kontrol arasındaki korelasyon Spearman korelasyon testi ile analiz edilmiştir. Hem dominant hem de non-dominant bacakların aktif diz ekstansiyon açıları ile postüral kontrol ölçümleri arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır (p > 0,05). Çalışma, hamstring kas gerginliği olan futbolcularda aktif diz ekstansiyon açısı ile postüral kontrol arasında korelasyon olmadığını ortaya koymuştur. Bu bulgular, hamstring kas gerginliğinin postüral kontrolü etkilemeyebileceğini göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte, bu ilişkiyi kapsamlı bir şekilde anlamak için daha geniş ve daha çeşitli katılımcı gruplarını içeren araştırmalara ihtiyaç olduğu görülmektedir.

Keywords

Futbol, Hamstring, Postüral Kontrol

Ethical Statement

Araştırma için Selçuk Üniversitesi Girişimsel Olmayan Klinik Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Kurulu’ndan 26.01.2023 tarihli ve 17 karar sayısı ile etik kurul izni alınmıştır

References

• Afonso, J., Rocha-Rodrigues, S., Clemente, F. M., Aquino, M., Nikolaidis, P. T., Sarmento, H., Fílter, A., Olivares-Jabalera, J., & Ramirez-Campillo, R. (2021). The Hamstrings: Anatomic and physiologic variations and their potential relationships with injury risk. In Frontiers in Physiology (Vol. 12). doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.694604.
• Bakhtiary, A. H., Fatemy, E., Hedayati, R., Ghorbani, R., & Gillani, M. (2015). The relationship between hamstring muscle shortness and dynamic and static balances in young healthy individuals. Koomesh, 16(4), 536–543.
• Barbosa, G. de M., Dantas, G. A. de F., Silva, B. R. da, Pinheiro, S. M., Santos, H. H. dos, & Vieira, W. H. de B. (2017). Intra-rater and inter-instrument reliability on range of movement of active knee extension. Motriz: Revista de Educação Física, 23(1), 53–59. doi: 10.1590/s1980-6574201700010008.
• Bigoni, M., Turati, M., Gandolla, M., Augusti, C. A., Pedrocchi, A., La Torre, A., Piatti, M., & Gaddi, D. (2017). Balance in young male soccer players: dominant versus non-dominant leg. Sport Sciences for Health, 13(2). doi: 10.1007/s11332-016-0319-4.
• Cachupe, W. J. C., Shifflett, B., Kahanov, L., & Wughalter, E. H. (2001). Reliability of Biodex Balance System Measures. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 5(2), 97–108. doi: 10.1207/S15327841MPEE0502_3.
• Cai, P., Liu, L., & Li, H. (2023). Dynamic and static stretching on hamstring flexibility and stiffness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon, 9(8), e18795. doi: 10.1016/J.HELIYON.2023.E18795.
• Diker, G., Struzik, A., Ön, S., & Zileli, R. (2022). The relationship between the hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio and jumping and sprinting abilities of young male soccer players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7471. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19127471.
• Encarnación-Martínez, A., García-Gallart, A., Pérez-Soriano, P., Catalá-Vilaplana, I., Rizo-Albero, J., & Sanchis-Sanchis, R. (2023). Effect of Hamstring Tightness and Fatigue on Dynamic Stability and Agility in Physically Active Young Men. Sensors, 23(3), 1633. doi: 10.3390/s23031633.
• Hansberger, B. L., Loutsch, R., Hancock, C., Bonser, R., Zeigel, A., & Baker, R. T. (2019). Evaluating the relationship between clinical assessments of apparent hamstring tightness: a correlational analysis. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 14(2), 253–263. doi: 10.26603/ijspt20190253.
• Kocaoglu, Y., & Girgin, Y. (2023). Effects of foot preference on postural control in soccer players. Turkish Journal of Kinesiology, 9(1), 67–76. doi: 10.31459/turkjkin.1203374.
• Kuszewski, M., Gnat, R., Sobota, G., & Myśliwiec, A. (2015). Influence of Passive Stiffness of Hamstrings on Postural Stability. Journal of Human Kinetics, 45(1), 49–57. doi: 10.1515/hukin-2015-0006.
• Mandorino, M., J. Figueiredo, A., Gjaka, M., & Tessitore, A. (2023). Injury incidence and risk factors in youth soccer players: a systematic literature review. Part II: Intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. Biology of Sport, 40(1), 27–49. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2023.109962.
• Mohammadi Nia Samakosh, H., Brito, J. P., Shojaedin, S. S., Hadadnezhad, M., & Oliveira, R. (2022). What Does Provide Better Effects on Balance, Strength, and Lower Extremity Muscle Function in Professional Male Soccer Players with Chronic Ankle Instability? Hopping or a Balance Plus Strength Intervention? A Randomized Control Study. Healthcare, 10(10), 1822. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10101822.
• Pfirrmann, D., Herbst, M., Ingelfinger, P., Simon, P., & Tug, S. (2016). Analysis of Injury Incidences in Male Professional Adult and Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Systematic Review. Journal of Athletic Training, 51(5), 410–424. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-51.6.03.
• Shah, C. (2013). The effect of Hamstring and Calf Tightness on Static, Dynamic Balance and Mobility - A Correlation Study. Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy - An International Journal, 7(4), 17. doi: 10.5958/j.0973-5674.7.4.115.
• Shukla, M., & Patel, P. (2021). Correlation of Hamstring Flexibility with Sitting Hours and Physical Activity among Physiotherapy Students. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International. doi: 10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i40a32245.
• Śliwowski, R., Marynowicz, J., Jadczak, Ł., Grygorowicz, M., Kalinowski, P., & Paillard, T. (2021). The relationships between knee extensors/ flexors strength and balance control in elite male soccer players. PeerJ, 9, e12461. doi: 10.7717/peerj.12461.
• Stolen, T., Chamari, K., Castagna, C., & Wisloff, U. (2005). Physiology of Soccer. Sports Medicine, 35(6), 501–536. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535060-00004.