| Abstrakt: |
Hamstring injuries are one of the most common lower limb injuries that occur during high-speed running, with the biceps femoris long head (BFLH) being the primary site of injury. This paper reviewed the current research on the potential mechanism and injury prevention strategies for acute hamstring injuries in high-speed running sports. Fifteen journal articles were examined which consisted of randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, and blinded studies, all of which were specific to the areas of sports physiotherapy, sports medicine, exercise science, orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, human movement science, manipulative and physiological therapy. The database search engines included PubMed, ResearchGate, Google Scholar and Sage Journals. The findings demonstrated a positive correlation between the increase in anterior pelvic tilt (APT) and its influence on hamstring behaviour. Many of these studies showcased that increases in APT reduced hip flexion, hip extension, and knee extension capabilities, due to hypertonic hip flexor and back extensor muscles, altering pelvic and hip joint biomechanics. This can negatively affect the late swing phase during running gait, increasing hamstring injury risk. Furthermore, exercise selection significantly influences muscle activation levels, with hip dominant hamstring exercises (45-degree hip extension and Romanian deadlifts) having a superior result on BFLH muscle activation, compared to knee dominant exercises (Nordic hamstring exercise and leg curls). These results provide a practical opportunity amongst coaches and practitioners, as implementing tissue reduction techniques within the hip flexor and back extensor regions using a foam roller and stretching may assist in reducing APT, with hip dominant hamstring exercises proving to be superior for the BFLH. These protocols may increase physical preparedness and reduce the risk of hamstring injuries during high-speed running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
