Date of Award

Spring 2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

Department

Human Movement Sciences

Program/Concentration

Exercise Science and Wellness

Committee Director

Sheri Colberg

Committee Member

Martha Walker

Committee Member

David Swain

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.E44 M68 2011

Abstract

The majority of the injuries in women's artistic gymnastics occur in the lower limbs (Marshall et al, 2007). Hamstring muscle strains are prevalent in sports that involve sprinting (Ekstrand & Quillist, 1985; Orchard, 2001; Croisier et al., 2008) with a high reinjury ratio (Orchard, 1993; Orchard, 1997). Recent studies have linked an increase of muscle injury rate in the lower limbs to strength muscle imbalance between legs and the relation between the hamstring and quadriceps strength (Croisier et al., 2002; Yamamoto, 2008; Sugiura et al, 2008). In order to determine if there is an imbalance in women's artistic gymnastics, forty-three level 9 through elite healthy female gymnasts (12 to 17 years old) were randomly selected from the Hampton Roads gymnastics clubs. The subjects were measured in isometric strength for knee flexion and knee extension. The measurements were taken in seated position with a 45 degrees angle of knee flexion (considering 0° with full knee extension) with a portable fixed dynamometer. The results indicate a significant difference in knee extension quadriceps strength (t42=2.45, p42=2.77, p<0.05). There was a significant difference in hamstring to quadriceps (H/Q) ratio (as 42=-2.05, p<0.05) between legs. Non-dominant leg H/Q ratio (0. 71±0.14) was 7% higher than dominant leg H/Q ratio (0.66±0.12). No significant difference was found in hamstring peak force. Previous hamstring and knee injuries were reported. The group of previously injured hamstring showed a higher imbalance between limbs in hamstring peak force (9%) than the non-injured group (0.05%). The group that reported previous knee injuries had a higher hamstring peak force and lower quadriceps peak force.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/ff4n-wa28

Download

Share

COinS