KNEE FLEXION AND EXTENSION TORQUES AND HAMSTRING-QUADRICEPS FORCE RATIOS AT DIFFERENT VELOCITIES IN SOCCER PLAYERS
Ali ÖZKAN, Ayşe KİN-İŞLER
Başkent Üniversitesi, Spor Bilimleri Bölümü, Ankara
Keywords: Knee, extension-flexion, angular force, torque, H/Q force ratio, soccer, exercise
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine isokinetic knee flexion and extension strength (torques), and hamstring-quadriceps (H/Q) force ratios at different velocities in soccer players. A total of 15 amateur soccer players participated in this study voluntarily. Isokinetic peak concentric knee extension and flexion torques and H/Q ratios were determined at 60º.s-1 and 300º.s-1 for both legs. Right leg knee flexion torques at 60º.s-1 and 300º.s-1 were 93.0 ± 9.0 N.m and 81.0 ± 17.1 N.m, knee extension torques were 122.0 ± 17.1 N.m and 99.0 ± 23.2 N.m, respectively. The same figures for the left leg were 86.0 ± 16.8 N.m, 74.0 ± 18.4 N.m, 125.0 ± 22.2 N.m and 100.0 ± 24.9 N.m in the same order. The H/Q ratio at 60º.s-1 and 300º.s-1 for the right leg were 0.77 ± 0.10 and 0.84 ± 0.19 respectively, and for the left leg they were 0.69 ± 0.10 and 0.75 ± 0.11, respectively. Independent samples t-test indicated significant differences for the H/Q ratio between the right and left legs both at 300º.s-1 (t=2.280; p=0.039) and at 60º.s-1 (t=3.786; p=0.002). On the other hand no significant differences were obtained for isokinetic knee flexion and extension torques between the right and left legs (p>0.05). In conclusion, most of the players had their right leg as the dominant or shooting leg, and this may be the reason for having higher H/Q ratios for the right leg compared with the left.
