The Use of the Functional H:Q Ratio to Assess Fatigue in Soccer

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of fatigue induced by a field test representative of soccer specific movements on different hamstrings:quadriceps ratios in the dominant and non-dominant legs at two different velocities. Eight male football players (age: 21.3±2.3 years; height: 178±8 cm; body mass: 78±9 kg; playing level: British University Southern conference-3B) performed a pre-test to assess the concentric and eccentric strength of the hamstrings and the quadriceps at 60°·s⁻¹ and 180°·s⁻¹, The Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) to simulate soccer, and a post-test similar to the pre-test. The main findings demonstrated significant decreases in the H_con:Q_con ratio (calculated as the maximal concentric hamstrings strength divided by the maximal concentric quadriceps strength) in the dominant leg at 180°·s⁻¹ and in the functional ratio H_ecc:Q_con (calculated as the maximal eccentric hamstrings strength divided by the maximal concentric quadriceps strength) in the dominant leg at 60°·s⁻¹ and 180°·s⁻¹. In addition, significant correlations were observed between physiological parameters measured during the soccer-specific exercise and H_ecc:Q_con only. These results suggested that the functional H_ecc:Q_con ratio is more representative of fatigue induced by soccer than the conventional H_con:Q_con ratio. Eccentric strength training at high velocities may be necessary to reduce injury risk in soccer players.

eccentric strength - hamstrings - fatigue

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