Abstract

Muscular strength, power and muscle endurance play an important part in most Sports and have been determined over the last three decades in men with isokinetic equipment. It was only at the beginning of 1990 that any interest was shown in women. The minimum muscle torque, power, muscle endurance and ratio of hamstrings to quadriceps in women long distance runners are difficult to predict, since they depend an age, height and body mass. The aim of the study was to determine the absolute and relative torque, power, muscle endurance and ratio of the hamstring to quadriceps muscles in female long distance runners, and also set norms that could be used in the future evaluation of participants. Nineteen female runners were chosen according to their achievements in the 1998 South African Cross-country Championship and the North Gauteng Cross-¬country Championship. The 19 runners were divided into two groups according to age, namely group 1 (13-17 years) and group 2 (18-42 years). The mean torque values (absolute and relative) of the knee extensors for group 1 were 149.8±10.8 Nm and 2.67±0.20 Nm/kg, respectively. The corresponding values for the knee flexors were 113.3±9.9 Nm and 1.37±0.10 Nm/kg, respectively. The knee flexor to extensor strength ratio was 0.51 or 51%. In group 2, the mean torque values (absolute and relative) of the extensors were 130.6±25.3 Nm and 2.57±0.32 Nm/kg, respectively. The corresponding values for the flexors were 63.6±11.1 Nm and 1.25±0.13 Nm/kg, respectively. The knee flexor to extensor strength ratio was 0.49 or 49%. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant. The results clearly indicated that the maximal torque, power and muscle endurance values of the hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups of female long distance runners (group 1 and 2) were higher than the values of the normal female population and other female sport participants in general. Verf.-Referat