Comparison of the decrease in strength between hamstrings and quadriceps during isokinetic fatigue testing in semiprofessional soccer players

An imbalance in the agonist/antagonist ratio has been identified as a pathologic factor. Using an isokinetic dynamometer, several studies have investigated the loss of quadriceps strength due to fatigue, but few have explored this phenomenon in the hamstrings. This study assessed the decline in strength of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles with fatigue. The goal was to determine whether a divergence in the decline in strength occurs that would affect the hamstring to quadriceps ratio of endurance. Twenty-seven professional soccer players were selected for endurance testing to evaluate fatigue on an isokinetic dynamometer. The decline in hamstring strength was significantly greater than that of the quadriceps after 15 repetitions for the dominant leg and after 40 repetitions for the nondominant leg. This study also revealed a decline in the endurance ratio compared with the maximal strength ratio in the dominant leg after 30 repetitions. In fatigue states, the decline in hamstring strength diverges from that of the quadriceps in both legs. This difference in resistance to fatigue provokes an imbalance that may affect the stabilizing function of the thigh muscles. These results can be considered as indicators of an increased risk of injury during exhausting effort.