The hamstrings to quadriceps functional ratio expressed over the full angle-angular velocity range using a limited number of data points
The hamstring to quadriceps (H : Q) strength ratio is widely used to identify individuals at risk of sustaining hamstring strain injuries. However, its efficacy is not supported by the current evidence. Current methods for the calculation of the H : Q ratio provide only a one- or two-dimensional ratio, often ignoring fundamental muscle mechanical properties. Based on isokinetic torque measurements of the knee flexors and extensors (0-400° s-1) in 25 young, physically active males, we derived a model equation that creates a threedimensional H : Q functional ratio profile. The model robustness was tested against a different number of input torque data (8, 11, 14 and 17 pairs of points) and small perturbation of the knee joint angle data (5°). The model was consistent and behaved well under all conditions apart from the eight pairs of points (R2= 0.84-0.96; RMSE = 0.14-0.25; NRMSE = 0.12-0.27), and the H : Q functional ratio was successfully described even at angles and velocities that cannot be normally assessed with isokinetic dynamometry. Overall, our results suggest that the model can provide a fast and accurate three-dimensional description of the knee joint muscle strength balance using as few as 11 experimental data points and this could be an easy-to-employ screening tool.
History
School
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Published in
Royal Society Open ScienceVolume
9Issue
4Publisher
Royal SocietyVersion
- VoR (Version of Record)
Rights holder
© The AuthorsPublisher statement
This is an Open Access Article. It is published by the Royal Society under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY). Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Acceptance date
2022-03-29Publication date
2022-04-27Copyright date
2022ISSN
2054-5703eISSN
2054-5703Publisher version
Language
- en