Valuable information from Section VIII’s Official Partner in Health Education
Preventing Hamstring Injuries in Soccer
Written by NYU Langone Sports Performance Experts
Hamstring strains are the most prevalent injury in the game of soccer. They constitute more than one-third of all time-loss injuries and cause more than a quarter of the total injury absence in high-level European professional soccer clubs. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that in top European teams, hamstring injuries have increased by 4% since 2001. Despite major advancements in sport medicine, hamstring injuries continue to plague amateur and professional soccer players.
One function of the hamstring is providing stability to the hips and knees. It is known as the top muscle in the human body that helps keep you standing upright. Individuals with poor eccentric (lengthening of a muscle) control of their hamstrings tend to injure them more often when compared to individuals with good eccentric control of their hamstrings. As a result, it is imperative that we train our hamstrings to absorb forces in a controlled manner.
Perform exercises like the following example, 2 to 3 times per week to improve your hamstring strength and eccentric control.
Nordic Hamstring Curl
- Have a trainer, partner, or bench hold your ankles while you brace your core. Make sure not to relax your core as you begin the movement
- Take a deep breath, and as slowly as possible, lower yourself to the ground. Your body should be straight and tight during the descent
- Avoid flexing your spine. Maintain a neutral spine
- Once you reach the ground, press yourself up to the starting position and repeat
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