Affiliation:
1. Polytechnic Institute of Maia, N2i, Social Sciences, Education and Sports School, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos, Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal
2. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Health School, Scientific-Pedagogical Unit of Physiotherapy, Rua 5 de Outubro, São Martinho do Bispo, 3045-043 Coimbra, Portugal
3. Sport Physical Activity and Health Research & Innovation Center (SPRINT), 4960-320 Melgaço, Portugal
Abstract
Due to their potential positive outcomes, hamstring eccentric exercises are becoming increasingly popular in training regimens. Among the various exercises, the Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE) is the most common. Despite its popularity, there are still some doubts about its benefits and risks. So, the aim of this umbrella review was to summarize the effects of NHE on performance and injury prevention. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple e-databases, according to the P (injured and non-injured athletes or recreationally active or healthy individuals) I (NHE) C (no intervention, placebo, or other interventions) O (performance or injury) S (systematic reviews) model. The quality of the studies was accessed with the AMSTAR-2. From the 916 systematic reviews found, only 10 could be included. They encompassed 125 studies, enrolling 17,260 subjects. The results from the studies indicate that NHE interventions demonstrated positive effects on sprint performance, muscle activation, eccentric strength, and muscle architecture (fascicle length, muscle thickness, and pennation angle). Furthermore, NHE is effective in preventing hamstring injuries (up to 51%). In conclusion, NHE should be integrated in training (especially, in the warm-up phase) for both enhancing athletic performance and preventing hamstring injuries. For achieving more positive results, it is recommended that high-volume is followed by low-volume maintenance, targeting 48 reps/week.