The specific effects of eccentric exercise on hamstring strength

Uvod: Nateg zadnjih stegenskih mišic predstavlja eno izmed najpogostejših mišičnih poškodb v športu. Povečano tveganje nastanka športnih poškodb nastopi takrat, ko so te mišice prekratke in/ali so oslabele v ekscentrični fazi kontrakcije. Prav ekscentrična vadba se v zadnjem času priporoča kot zaščita pred nastankom poškodb mišic, čeprav njeni specifični učinki v primerjavi z ostalimi oblikami vadbe niso jasni. Namen: Namen diplomskega dela je na osnovi pregleda strokovne in znanstvene literature analizirati specifične učinke ekscentrične vadbe na zmogljivost zadnjih stegenskih mišic. Metode dela: Iskanje literature je potekalo s pomočjo spletnih zbirk podatkov COBISS/OPAC, PubMed in Science Direct. Vključitveni kriteriji za izbrane članke so bili: randomizirana kontrolirana raziskava, objava po letu 2000, slovenski ali angleški jezik, primerjava učinkov ekscentrične vadbe na zadnje stegenske mišice z neko drugo vrsto vadbe na zdravih osebah, vsaj štiri tedne trajajoči vadbeni program, dinamometrične meritve ali meritve velikosti mišic. Rezultati: Med iskanjem literature je bilo pregledanih 105 strokovnih člankov. Od tega je 21 člankov obravnavalo vpliv ekscentrične vadbe na jakost zadnjih stegenskih mišic. V pregled literature je bilo vključenih osem raziskav, objavljenih med letoma 2003 in 2016. Rezultati raziskav kažejo, da je ekscentrična vadba učinkovita za izboljšanje moči, gibljivosti in zmogljivosti zadnjih stegenskih mišic. Razprava in sklep: S pregledom literature smo ugotovili, da je v športni vadbeni program smiselno in varno dodati ekscentrično vadbo za zadnje stegenske mišice. Obstaja potreba po raziskavah z večjim številom preiskovancev, ki bi podrobneje preučile kakšen je najbolj učinkovit program posamezne ekscentrične vadbe in katera metoda ekscentrične vadbe je najbolj učinkovita za izboljšanje zmogljivosti zadnjih stegenskih mišic. Potrebno bi bilo tudi raziskati, če je ekscentrična vadba koristna za vse ravni in vrste športov ter kakšne učinke ima v preventivi pred poškodbami zadnjih stegenskih mišic.Introduction: Hamstring strain is one of the most common sports-related muscle injuries. The risk of sport injuries increases if the muscles are too short and/ or don\u27t function properly in the case of eccentric contraction. Eccentric exercise is currently the main means of preventing hamstring injuries. Purpose: The purpose of this undergraduate assignment is to analyse the specific effects of eccentric exercise on hamstring strength, based on a review of the scientific literature. Methods: The research was done using online databases (COBISS/OPAC, PubMed and Science Direct). The search criteria included: a randomized controlled studies, published after the year 2000, in either Slovenian or English language, comparing the effects of eccentric exercise on hamstrings with effects of other types of exercise, done on healthy people, with a training programme of at least four weeks and dynamometry assessment or muscle volume measurement as the primary outcome measures. Results: One-hundred and five articles were reviewed. Twenty-one articles reported the effects of eccentric exercise on the hamstring strength. Eight studies conducted between 2003 and 2016 were included in the final review and thoroughly analysed. The results show that eccentric exercise is effective in increasing the strength, flexibility and functional performance of hamstrings. Discussion and conclusion: Literature review has shown that eccentric exercise is safe and beneficial for hamstrings and thus should be added to the sports programme. Additional research with a larger number of participants is needed to further study the effects of eccentric exercise. The most efficient type of eccentric exercise for hamstring improvement is yet to be examined. Additional research is also needed to determine whether eccentric exercise is beneficial for all types and levels of sport and what kind of effects it has in preventing hamstring injury