Absolute Reliability of Hamstring to Quadriceps Strength Imbalance Ratios Calculated Using Peak Torque, Joint Angle-Specific Torque and Joint ROM-Specific Torque Values

F. Ayala; M. De Ste Croix; P. Sainz de Baranda; F. Santonja

doi:10.1055/s-0032-1311586

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Inhaltsverzeichnis

Int J Sports Med 2012; 33(11): 909-916
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1311586

Training & Testing

Absolute Reliability of Hamstring to Quadriceps Strength Imbalance Ratios Calculated Using Peak Torque, Joint Angle-Specific Torque and Joint ROM-Specific Torque Values

Autor*innen

F. Ayala

¹Department of Health Sciences and Sports, Catholic University of San Antonio of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
M. De Ste Croix

²Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucester, United Kingdom
P. Sainz de Baranda

³Faculty of Sport and Physical Education of Toledo, University of Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
F. Santonja

⁴Department of Traumatology, University of Murcia, V. de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to determine the absolute reliability of conventional (H/Q_CONV) and functional (H/Q_FUNC) hamstring to quadriceps strength imbalance ratios calculated using peak torque values, 3 different joint angle-specific torque values (10°, 20° and 30° of knee flexion) and 4 different joint ROM-specific average torque values (0–10°, 11–20°, 21–30° and 0–30° of knee flexion) adopting a prone position in recreational athletes. A total of 50 recreational athletes completed the study. H/Q_CONV and H/Q_FUNC ratios were recorded at 3 different angular velocities (60, 180 and 240°/s) on 3 different occasions with a 72–96 h rest interval between consecutive testing sessions. Absolute reliability was examined through typical percentage error (CV_TE), percentage change in the mean (CM) and intraclass correlations (ICC) as well as their respective confidence limits. H/Q_CONV and H/Q_FUNC ratios calculated using peak torque values showed moderate reliability values, with CM scores lower than 2.5%, CV_TE values ranging from 16 to 20% and ICC values ranging from 0.3 to 0.7. However, poor absolute reliability scores were shown for H/Q_CONV and H/Q_FUNC ratios calculated using joint angle-specific torque values and joint ROM-specific average torque values, especially for H/Q_FUNC ratios (CM: 1–23%; CV_TE: 22–94%; ICC: 0.1–0.7). Therefore, the present study suggests that the CV_TE values reported for H/Q_CONV and H/Q_FUNC (≈18%) calculated using peak torque values may be sensitive enough to detect large changes usually observed after rehabilitation programmes but not acceptable to examine the effect of preventitive training programmes in healthy individuals. The clinical reliability of hamstring to quadriceps strength ratios calculated using joint angle-specific torque values and joint ROM-specific average torque values are questioned and should be re-evaluated in future research studies.

Key words

reproducibility - dynamic knee stability - measurement error - injury - torque - isokinetic

Volltext

Referenzen

References
1 Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Magnusson SP, Larsson B, Dyhre-Poulsen P. A new concept for isokinetic hamstring: quadriceps muscle strength ratio. Am J Sports Med 1998; 26: 231-237
2 Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Trolle M, Bangsbo J, Klausen K. Isokinetic hamstring⁄quadriceps strength ratio: influence from joint angular velocity, gravity correction and contraction mode. Acta Physiol Scand 1995; 154: 421-427
3 Atkinson G, Nevill AM. Selected issues in the design and analysis of sport performance research. J Sports Sci 2001; 19: 811-827
4 Atkinson G, Nevill AM. Statistical methods for assessing measurement error (reliability) in variables relevant to sports medicine. Sports Med 1998; 26: 217-238
5 Baumgarter TA. Norm-referenced measurement: reliability. In: Safrit MJ, Wood TM. (eds.). Measurement concepts in physical education and exercise science. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics; 1989: 45-72
6 Bell DR, Myrick MP, Blackburn JT, Shultz SJ, Guskiewicz KM, Padua DA. The effect of menstrual-cycle phase on hamstring extensibility and muscle stiffness. J Sport Rehabil 2009; 18: 553-563
7 Bompa TO. (ed.). Periodización del entrenamiento deportivo (Programas para obtener el máximo rendimiento en 35 deportes). Barcelona: Editorial Paidotribo; 2000: 89
8 Coombs R, Garbutt G. Developments in the use of the hamstrings/quadriceps ratio for the assessment of muscle balance. J Sports Sci Med 2002; 1: 56-62
9 Croisier JL, Forthomme B, Namurois MH, Vanderthommen M, Crielaard JM. Hamstring muscle strain recurrence and strength performance disorders. Am J Sports Med 2002; 30: 199-203
10 Croisier JL. Factors associated with recurrent hamstring injuries. Sports Med 2004; 34: 681-695
11 Dauty M, Potiron-Josse M, Rochcongar P. Identification of previous hamstring muscle injury by isokinetic concentric and eccentric torque measurement in elite soccer player. Isokinet Exerc Sci 2003; 11: 139-144
12 Dauty M, Rochcongar P. Reproducibility of concentric and eccentric isokinetic strength of the knee flexors in elite volleyball players. Isokinet Exerc Sci 2001; 9: 129-132
13 Devan MR, Pescatello S, Faghri P, Anderson J. A prospective study of overuse knee injuries among female athletes with muscle imbalances and structural abnormalities. J Athle Train 2004; 39: 263-267
14 Drouin JM, Valovich-mcLeon TC, Shultz SJ, Gansneder BM, Perrin DH. Reliability and validity of the Biodex system 3 pro isokinetic dynamometer velocity, torque and position measurements. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004; 91: 22-29
15 Eiling E, Bryant AL, Petersen W, Murphy A, Hohmann E. Effects of menstrual-cycle hormone fluctuations on musculotendinous stiffness and knee joint laxity. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2007; 15: 126-132
16 Forbes H, Bullers A, Lovell A, McNaughton LR, Polman RC, Siegle JC. Relative torque profiles of elite male youth footballers: Effects of age and pubertal development. Int J Sports Med 2009; 30: 592-597
17 Gaul C. Muscular strength and endurance. In: Docherty D. (ed.). Measurement in Pediatric Exercise Science. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics; 1996: 225-258
18 Gerodimos V, Mandou V, Zafeiridis A, Ioakinidis P, Stavropoulos N, Kellis S. Isokinetic peak torque and hamstring/quadriceps ratio in young basketball players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2003; 43: 444-452
19 Gleeson NP, Mercer TH. Reproducibility and sensitivity of indices of isokinetic leg strength in male sprinters and distance runners. J Sports Sci 1992; 10: 594-595
20 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Update – ethical standards in sport and exercise science research. Int J Sports Med 2011; 32: 819-821
21 Heiser TM, Weber J, Sullivan G, Clare P, Jacobs RR. Prophylaxis and management of hamstring muscle injuries in intercollegiate football players. Am J Sports Med 1984; 12: 368-370
22 Hopkins WG, Marshall SW, Batterham AM, Hanin J. Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 3-12
23 Hopkins WG. A new view of statistics. Retrieved January 31, 2003, from http://www.sportsci.org/resource/stats/ 2000
24 Hopkins WG. Measures of reliability in sports medicine and science. Sports Med 2000; 30: 1-15
25 Houweling TAW, Head A, Hamzeh MA. Validity of isokinetic testing for previous hamstring injury detection in soccer players. Isokinet Exer Sci 2009; 17: 213-220
26 Iga J, George K, Lees A, Reilly T. Reliability of assessing indices of isokinetic leg strength in pubertal soccer players. Pediatr Exer Sci 2006; 18: 436-445
27 Impellizzeri FM, Bizzini M, Rampinini E, Cereda F, Maffiulet NA. Reliability of isokinetic strength imbalance ratios measured using the Cybex NORM dynamometer. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 2008; 28: 113-119
28 Kellis E, Kellis S, Gerodimos V, Manou V. Reliability of isokinetic concentric and eccentric strength in circumpubertal soccer players. Pediatr Exer Sci 1999; 11: 218-228
29 Lund H, Søndergaard K, Zachariassen T, Christensen R, Bülow P, Henriksen M, Bartels EM, Danneskiold-Samsøe B, Bliddal H. Learning effect of isokinetic measurements in healthy subjects, and reliability and comparability of Biodex and Lido dynamometers. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 2005; 25: 75-82
30 Maffiuletti NA, Bizzini M, Desbrosses K, Babault N, Munzinge U. Reliability of knee extension and flexion measurements using the Con-Trex isokinetic dynamometer. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 2007; 27: 346-353
31 Ogura Y, Miyahara Y, Naito H, Katamoto S, Auki J. Duration of static stretching influences muscle force production in hamstring muscles. J Strength Cond Res 2007; 21: 788-792
32 Portney LG, Watkins MP. (eds.). Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Practice. Upperdale Saddle River (NJ): Prentice-Hall; 2000: 86-89
33 Romani W, Patrie J, Curl L, Flaws J. The correlations between estradiol, estrone, estriol, progesterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin and anterior cruciate ligament stiffness in healthy, active females. J Womens Health 2003; 12: 287-298
34 Sapega AA. Muscle performance evaluation in orthopaedic practice. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1990; 72: 1562-1574
35 Senter C, Hame SL. Biomechanical analysis of tibial torque and knee flexion angle: Implications for understanding knee injury. Sports Med 2006; 36: 636-641
36 Sole G, Hamrén J, Milosavljevic S, Nicholson H, Sullivan J. Test-retest reliability of isokinetic knee extension and flexion. Arch Phys Med Rehabi 2007; 88: 626-631
37 Steiner LA, Harris BA, Krebs DE. Reliability of eccentric isokinetic knee flexion and extension measurements. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1993; 74: 1327-1335
38 Stokes M. Reliability and repeatability of methods for measuring muscle in physiotherapy. Physiother Pract 1985; 1: 71-76
39 Taylor N, Sanders R, Howick E, Stanley S. Static and dynamic assessment of the Biodex dynamometer. Eur J Appl Physiol 1991; 62: 180-188
40 Worrell TW, Denegar CR, Armstrong SL, Perrin DH. Effect of body position on hamstring muscle group average torque. J Orthop Sport Phys Ther 1990; 11: 449-452
41 Worrell TW, Perrin DH, Denegar CR. The influence of hip position on quadriceps and hamstring peak torque and reciprocal muscle group ratio values. J Orthop Sport Phys Ther 1989; 11: 104-107
42 Yeung SS, Suen AM, Yeung EW. A prospective cohort study of hamstring injuries in competitive sprinters: preseason muscle imbalance as a possible risk factor. Br J Sports Med 2009; 43: 589-594
43 Young WB, Behm DG. Should static stretching be used during a warm-up for strength and power activities?. Strength Cond J 2002; 24: 33-37
44 Zakas A, Doganis G, Galazoulas C, Vamvakoudis E. Acute effects of static stretching duration on isokinetic peak torque in pubescent soccer players. Ped Exerc Sci 2006; 18: 252-261
45 Zakas A. The effect of stretching duration on the lower extremity flexibility of adolescent soccer players. J Bodyw Mov Ther 2005; 9: 220-225