Effect of Nordic Hamstring Exercise Training on Knee Flexors Eccentric Strength and Fascicle Length: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Context: Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) has been widely employed to prevent hamstring strain injuries. However, it is still not clear which adaptations are responsible for the NHE preventive effects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of NHE on knee flexors eccentric strength and fascicle length. Evidence Acquisition: The search strategy included MEDLINE, PEDro, and Cochrane CENTRAL from inception to April 2020. Randomized clinical trials that have analyzed the effects of NHE training on hamstring eccentric strength and/or fascicle length were included. Evidence Synthesis: From the 1932 studies identified, 12 were included in the systematic review, and 9 studies presented suitable data for the meta-analysis. All studies demonstrated strength increments in response to NHE training (10%–15% and 16%–26% in tests performed on the isokinetic dynamometer and on the NHE device, respectively), as well as significant enhancement of biceps femoris long head fascicle length (12%–22%). Meta-analysis showed NHE training was effective to increase knee flexors eccentric strength assessed with both isokinetic tests (0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.29 to 1.06) and NHE tests (1.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.62 to 1.61). NHE training was also effective to increase fascicle length (0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.46 to 1.48). Conclusions: NHE training has the potential of increasing both knee flexors eccentric strength and biceps femoris long head fascicle length.

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Poor agreement between ultrasound and inbuilt diffusion tensor MRI measures of biceps femoris long head fascicle length

Translational Sports Medicine ◽

10.1002/tsm2.58 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 58-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Fearghal P. Behan ◽

Robin Vermeulen ◽

Tessa Smith ◽

Javier Arnaiz ◽

Rodney Whiteley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Biceps Femoris ◽

Diffusion Tensor Mri ◽

Poor Agreement ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

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Biceps femoris long head muscle fascicle length does not differ between sexes

Journal of Sports Sciences ◽

10.1080/02640414.2019.1641016 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (21) ◽

pp. 2452-2458

Author(s):

Fearghal P. Behan ◽

Rachael Moody ◽

Tejal Sarika Patel ◽

Edward Lattimore ◽

Thomas M. Maden-Wilkinson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biceps Femoris ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Muscle Fascicle ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

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Hamstring Eccentric Strengthening Program: Does Training Volume Matter?

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2018-0947 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 81-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mathieu Lacome ◽

Simon Avrillon ◽

Yannick Cholley ◽

Ben M. Simpson ◽

Gael Guilhem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biceps Femoris ◽

High Volume ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Eccentric Training ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Knee Flexor ◽

Low Volume ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head ◽

Flexor Strength

Aim: To compare the effect of low versus high volume of eccentric-biased hamstring training programs on knee-flexor strength and fascicle length changes in elite soccer players. Methods: A total of 19 elite youth soccer players took part in this study and were randomly assigned into 2 subgroups. For 6 weeks in-season, the groups performed either a low-volume (1 set per exercise; 10 repetitions in total) or a high-volume (4 sets; 40 repetitions) eccentric training of their knee flexors. After 6-weeks midtraining (MID), players performed the alternate training regimen. Each training set consisted of 4 repetitions of the Nordic hamstring exercise and 6 repetitions of the bilateral stiff-leg deadlift. Eccentric knee-flexor strength (NordBord) as well as biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus fascicle length (scanned with ultrasound scanner) were assessed during pretraining (PRE), MID, and posttraining (POST) tests. Results: Knee-flexor eccentric strength very likely increased from PRE to MID (low volume: +11.3% [7.8%] and high volume: 11.4% [5.3%]), with a possibly-to-likely increase in biceps femoris long head (+4.5% [5.0%] and 4.8% [2.5%]) and semimembranosus (+4.3% [4.7%] and 6.3% [6.3%]) fascicle length in both groups. There was no substantial changes between MID and POST. Overall, there was no clear between-group difference in the changes from PRE to MID and MID to POST for neither knee-flexor eccentric strength, biceps femoris long head, nor semimembranosus fascicle length. Conclusions: Low-volume knee-flexor eccentric training is as effective as a greater training dose to substantially improve knee-flexor strength and fascicle length in-season in young elite soccer players. Low volume is, however, likely more appropriate to be used in an elite team facing congested schedules.

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Biceps femoris long head sarcomere and fascicle length adaptations after three weeks of eccentric exercise training

Journal of Sport and Health Science ◽

10.1016/j.jshs.2021.09.002 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Patricio A. Pincheira ◽

Melissa A. Boswell ◽

Martino V. Franchi ◽

Scott L. Delp ◽

Glen A. Lichtwark

Keyword(s):

Exercise Training ◽

Eccentric Exercise ◽

Biceps Femoris ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

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Ultrasound-derived Biceps Femoris Long Head Fascicle Length

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/mss.0000000000002123 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 233-243 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

MARTINO V. FRANCHI ◽

DANIEL P. FITZE ◽

BRENT J. RAITERI ◽

DANIEL HAHN ◽

JÖRG SPÖRRI

Keyword(s):

Biceps Femoris ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

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The effect of grape products containing polyphenols on oxidative stress: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Nutrition Journal ◽

10.1186/s12937-021-00686-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sahar Sarkhosh-Khorasani ◽

Zohreh Sadat Sangsefidi ◽

Mahdieh Hosseinzadeh

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Confidence Interval ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Weighted Mean Difference ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Weighted Mean ◽

Stress Markers ◽

Total Antioxidant

Abstract Background The literature showed that Grape Products Containing Polyphenols (GPCP) had anti-oxidant activity. However, the effects of GPCP on different biomarkers of oxidative stress are still controversial. In this regard, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of Grape Products Containing Polyphenols (GPCP) intake on oxidative stress markers. Methods PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar data bases were searched up to August 20, 2020. A random-effects model, weighted mean difference (WMD), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied for data analysis. Meta-analysis was conducted over 17 eligible RCTs with a total of 633 participants. The study registration number is CRD42019116696. Results A significant increase was observed in Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) (weighted mean difference (WMD) = 1.524 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83, 2.21). Intake of GPCP enhanced Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) (WMD = 0.450 mmol/L, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.66), TAC (WMD = 2.829 mmol/L, 95% CI: 0.13, 5.52), and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) (WMD = 0.524 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.62) among healthy participants. Higher GPCP doses increased SOD (WMD = 0.539 U/mgHb, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.82) and ORAC (WMD = 0.377 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.67), whereas longer intervention periods enhanced ORAC (WMD = 0.543 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.64). Conclusion GPCP intake may partly improve status of oxidative stress, but further well-designed trials are required to confirm these results.

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Eccentrically overloaded flywheel training increases biceps femoris long head fascicle length

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport ◽

10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.211 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 11

Author(s):

J. Presland ◽

D. Opar ◽

C. Lee Dow ◽

M. Bourne ◽

M. Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biceps Femoris ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

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Poor agreement between ultrasound and novel MRI measures of biceps femoris long head fascicle length

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport ◽

10.1016/j.jsams.2018.09.077 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. S34

Author(s):

F. Behan ◽

R. Vermeulen ◽

T. Smith ◽

J. Arnaiz ◽

R. Timmins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biceps Femoris ◽

Poor Agreement ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

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Biceps Femoris Activation during Hamstring Strength Exercises: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18168733 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (16) ◽

pp. 8733

Author(s):

Luis Llurda-Almuzara ◽

Noé Labata-Lezaun ◽

Carlos López-de-Celis ◽

Ramón Aiguadé-Aiguadé ◽

Sergi Romaní-Sánchez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Isometric Contraction ◽

Biceps Femoris ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Exclusion Criteria ◽

Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Strength Exercises ◽

Long Head ◽

Biceps Femoris Long Head

Background: The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate the biceps femoris long head activation across cross-sectional hamstring strength exercise studies. Methods: A systematic review design was followed. The search strategy conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Sciences databases found a total of 3643 studies. Once inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 29 studies were finally included in this systematic review. A total of 507 participants and 114 different exercises were analyzed. Exercises were evaluated individually and grouped into several categories: Nordics, isokinetic exercises, lunges, squats, deadlifts, good mornings, hip thrusts, bridges, leg curls, swings, hip and back extensions, and others. Results: Results showed the isokinetic and Nordic exercises as the categories with highest biceps femoris activation (>60% of Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction). Nordic hamstring exercise ankle dorsiflexion was the exercise that achieved the highest biceps femoris long head activation (128.1% of its Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction). Conclusions: The results from this systematic review suggest that isokinetic and Nordic exercises seem to be the best option to activate biceps femoris long head. Future studies evaluating the implementation of these exercises in prevention programs are needed.

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