Efficacy of Adding Post-Training Nordic Exercises to Hamstring Injury Prevention Program in Soccer Players

Abstract

AbstractBackground: Hamstring injuries represent about 50% of non-contact football muscle injuries, with recurrence rate 12- 33%, even with preventive procedures.Aim of Study: To investigate the effect of Nordic Exercise post training for the hamstring initial injury prevention.Subjects and Methods: In this randomly controlled trial study, 34 professional football players randomly assigned into two groups, 17 players in each group, with age range 21-35 years old. Group A (experimental): Subjects performed pre and post training Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE) while in Group B (control) they performed only the pre training NHE. The duration of therapeutic intervention in both groups was 12 weeks and was performed beside the normal warming up and cooling down.Method of Evaluation: Arabic version of Australian Foot-ball association injury form was used to collect the injuries incidence for each subject in both groups.Results: At the end of the therapeutic intervention, the mean of total risk time was 116.3±13.2 and 117.6±5.7 exposure hours for group A and B respectively, the experimental group showed reduction in the total number of injuries by 95% than last season, also the incidence of initial injury in group A was 92% less than which in last season while in group B it was 80% less than last season.Conclusion: The pre and post NHE was more effective in reducing the initial hamstring injury rates in professional football players than the pre NHE alone.