The Relationship Between Hamstring Shortness and Postural Control in Football Players: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Hamstring muscles significantly contribute to lower limb mobility and overall body balance. Specifically, hamstring muscle tightness has been suggested as a potential factor affecting an athlete’s postural control. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse by investigating the possible relationship between hamstring muscle tightness and postural control among football players. Sixteen male football players (mean age: 20.19 ± 2.17 years, body mass index: 22.01 ± 1.82 kg/m2) with hamstring muscle tightness participated in this cross-sectional study. The assessment of hamstring muscle tightness was conducted through the Active Knee Extension Test. Additionally, the participants’ postural control was evaluated using the Biodex Balance System. The correlation between Active Knee Extension Angle and Postural Control was analyzed through Spearman correlation test. No significant relationship was found between the active knee extension angles of both dominant and non-dominant legs and the postural control measurements (p > 0.05). The study revealed a lack of correlation between active knee extension angle and postural control among football players with hamstring muscle tightness. These findings indicate that hamstring muscle tightness may not impact postural control. Furthermore, it is observed that research involving broader and more diverse participant groups is needed to comprehensively understand this relationship.