Hamstringblessures in het amateurvoetbal: het preventieve effect van excentrisch trainen van hamstrings.

This study on the effect of eccentric hamstring exercises (Nordic Curl / Nordic Hamstring) on hamstring injury incidence and severity will take place in coöperation with the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association). Additionally, this study analyses whether a low Sit&Reach Test (SART) score increases the risk of hamstring injury incidence and whether this risk is influenced by performing eccentric hamstring exercises.



All players from First Class Amateur Level of Eastern and Western Dutch districts will be invited for participation. The study will last for one year (2013).

The primary objective of this study is to analyse whether preventive hamstring exercises (Nordic Hamstring Curl) can reduce injury incidence in Dutch elite amateur soccer players.



The secondary objective of this study is to analyse whether preventive hamstring exercises (Nordic Hamstring Curl) can reduce injury severity in Dutch elite amateur soccer players.



Additionally, this study analyses whether a low Sit&Reach Test (SART) score increases the risk of hamstring injury incidence and whether this risk is influenced by performing eccentric hamstring exercises.

Start of trial:

Length, weight, BEI, SART 2x, length of lower and upper extremities (confounder SART).



Registration during trial:

Information regarding hamstring injuries (diagnosis, etiology, injury date, contact vs non-contact, recurrent injury), injury recovery (recovery date, additional diagnosis, medical treatment, school-/workabsenteeism) and exposure (number of minutes match/training).

The intervention in this study is an exercise program for eccentric muscle strength of the hamstrings (Nordic Curl / Nordic Hamstring). The soccer player is seated on his knees whilst his ankles are firmly fixed to the ground by another player. The kneeling player leans forward slowly, with his upper body and hips fixated, and brakes the forward movement with his hamstrings.
When the player is unable to maintain his body position, both arms are used to break the fall. The exercise will be performed at the end of the training, before cooling down.

The training will take 1-3 minutes per session. It will be given for 13 weeks with an increasing intensity.



The control group will be asked to participate on a observational study on hamstring injury incidence.