2025 Volume 46 Pages 61-68
The present study examined the importance of hamstring muscle strength in female rugby players from the perspectives of athletic performance and occurrence of hamstring injuries. Twenty female rugby sevens players participated in this study. Participants were classified into regular and semi-regular groups based on their tournament participation. Measurements were taken for lean body mass, eccentric and concentric knee flexion torque, as well as 10-meter sprint times. Eccentric knee flexion torque was assessed using strength in the Nordic hamstring exercise. Measurements for lean body mass and muscle strength were repeated after three months. A significant positive correlation was found only between lean body mass and eccentric knee flexion torque. After three months of competitive training, eccentric knee flexion torque increased in the regular group, but no significant changes were observed in the semi-regular group or in concentric knee flexion torque in either group. Players who had experienced hamstring injuries in the past two years exhibited significantly lower eccentric torque compared to those without such history. These findings suggest that eccentric muscle strength exerted during the Nordic hamstring exercise may be related to athletic performance and the experience of hamstring injuries.
