Special and preventive exercises for hamstring muscles in the training process of experienced football players

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. In-depth analysis of electrical activity of certain muscles in athletes contributes to improvement in the technique of physical actions. Hamstring muscles are an important factor for making physical actions by experienced football players. The purpose of the study consisted in substantiation for factors of optimization of physical capacity to work in experienced football players. Materials and methods. The study involved 20 experienced football players (n=20, aged 18-33, the period of going in for football > 10 years). We used equipment of M-TEST computer electromyography device manufactured by research and development enterprise DX-Systems (Kharkiv, Ukraine). The maximum bioelectrical activity (MBA) of m. biceps femoris, m. semitendinosus and m. semimembranosus, which are hamstring muscles (HM), depending upon the angle of applied effort. The study was conducted with positions of the lower leg at angles of 180°, 165°, 145° and 125°. We used two-way analysis of variance and regression analysis. The fact that the distribution was normal was checked by Shapiro-Wilk W test. Results. Conditions for manifestation of the maximally effective realization of contractile abilities of HM were determined. Positions of the body and lower extremities for the largest overlaying of myofilaments in sarcomeres of HM were determined. Conditions of using external movement-disorganizing influence for HM were revealed. Models for special activity of experienced football players were systematized. Conclusions. HM will manifest their MBA in case of the coaxial position of the trunk and lower extremities. The angle of the lower leg position, equal to 180°, is the optimum one for the maximum overlaying of sarcomeres in the above muscles. Exercises with a component, which destabilizes the body position, are the most effective ones for realizing contractile abilities of HM.