title: Can a clinical test of hamstring strength identify football players at risk of hamstring strain?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the potential for a simple clinical test of hamstring muscle strength to identify susceptibility to muscle strain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-case design was used; specifically, an elite-level male Australian Rules football player performed bilateral isometric maximum voluntary contractions of the hamstring muscles on a weekly basis for a period of 5 weeks preceding a right hamstring muscle strain injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Minimal asymmetry (no greater than ±1.2% difference) was evident in the hamstring isometric maximum voluntary contractions during the first 4 weeks, but 5 days prior to injury, the right hamstring isometric maximum voluntary contraction was reduced by 10.9% compared to the left.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measuring asymmetry in isometric maximum voluntary contractions of the hamstring muscles may be a useful clinical test to identify susceptibility to muscle strain injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. anthonys@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Anthony G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Schache
authors.forename: Kay M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Crossley
authors.forename: Ian G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Macindoe
authors.forename: Brendan B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Fahrner
authors.forename: Marcus G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pandy
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D019722:Sphygmomanometers; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult