Abstract
Objectives
Investigate the determinants of hamstring fascicle length in professional rugby league
players.
Design
Retrospective cohort study
Methods
Thirty-three elite male athletes underwent testing in the pre-season and in-season
periods. Fascicle length measurements of the biceps femoris long head, 3D kinematics
and elapsed time-periods at thigh angular velocities between 20 °/s to peak velocity during a single-leg Nordic hamstring strength test, GPS-derived
running loads, age and previous injury history were all recorded. Fixed effect determinants
for fascicle length were analyzed using multiple linear regression.
Results
Significant determinants of hamstring fascicle length were observed. Multivariate
regression analysis showed modifiable factors including chronic (56 days) running
volumes >80% of measured peak velocity and maximum velocity itself collectively explained
43% of the variability in the fascicle length data, whilst peak eccentric strength
and elapsed time under load from 20 °/s to peak thigh angular velocity collectively contributed an additional 44%. Chronic
running volumes >90% of individually measured peak velocity and the ‘break angle’
during a Nordic eccentric contraction were not significant contributors to the final
model. Non-modifiable risk factors (age and previous injury) contributed the remaining
13%.
Conclusions
Managing high velocity running exposure as well as eccentric strength allows for ˜90%
of the controllable determinants in fascicle length within elite athlete populations.
An important contributor to the explained variability within fascicle length (superseded
only by chronic velocity exposure and peak eccentric strength) was an athletes ability
to achieve a prolonged contraction at long lengths during eccentric strength training
rather than the angle of failure during the contraction in itself.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 12, 2019
Accepted:
December 5,
2019
Received in revised form:
October 7,
2019
Received:
May 15,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
