Abstract

Twenty-five collegiate soccer players were evaluated for lower extremity flexibility and muscle strength at the end of preseason training and before the onset of the collegiate soccer season on two successive seasons. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine whether symmetry was present in their legs and whether deficits in flexibility or strength would affect the susceptibility to hamstring or groin muscle strain injuries. The mean (+/- SE) flexibility of the dominant leg for hip abduction was 41 degree +/- 1.2 degree; for hip flexion, 76 degree +/- 1.9 degree; for hip extension, 174 degree +/- 0.7 degree; and for ankle dorsiflexion, 33 degree +/- 1.3 degree. The mean (+/- SE) isokinetic torque of the dominant leg (Tested at 30 degree per second) for knee extension was 214 +/- 8 newton meters and for flexion was 128 +/- 4 newton meters, while isometric strength for hip flexion was 315 +/- 8 newtons and for ankle plantar flexion was 1721 +/- 58 newtons. No significant differences were found between the dominant and nondominant legs in flexibility or strength. During this study no hamstring or groin strain injuries occurred. The lack of leg muscle strain injuries appeared to be directly related to the initiation of a controlled warmup and stretching program and underlines the importance of this in injury prevention. Interestingly, more than 50 (13 of 25) of the players were found to have significant deficits in one or more specific muscle groups. Two athletes sustained low back strain injuries and one athlete had a knee sprain injury. All three athletes had significant musculoskeletal abnormalities, which appeared to predispose them to their injuries. Verf.-Referat