Hamstring InjuryNCT04744194
The Effect of 6 Week Hamstring Exercise Programs on Hamstring Muscle Strength
A study testing Nordic hamstring exercise program and Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program in people with Hamstring Injury, run by Dublin City University at 1 site in Ireland.
Trial summary
This study aims to compare the effect of two hamstring strengthening programs on hamstring muscle strength in university students. 60 participants will be recruited for this study. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Hamstring Injury
- What is being tested?
- Nordic hamstring exercise program and Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 38 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIreland
- Study dates
- 13 Feb 2022to 6 Nov 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- free from hamstring injury in the 6 months prior to the study
- currently competing in team sports at least three occasions per week
Who cannot join
- history of a hip or knee injury in the 3 months prior to the study
- a history of anterior cruciate ligament rupture
- a history of involvement in a hamstring strengthening, injury prevention programme in the 3 months prior to the study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of a 6 Week Nordic Hamstring Exercise and an Assisted Nordic Hamstring Program on Hamstring Muscle Strength
This study aims to compare the effect of two hamstring strengthening programs on hamstring muscle strength in university students. 60 participants will be recruited for this study. They will be randomly assigned to one of two 6-week hamstring strengthening programs, namely the single leg bridge exercise and the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol, and one control group. Eccentric and isometric hamstring strength, gluteal strength and will sprint speed will be measured before and after the intervention.
Read the detailed description
Participants will be recruited from the local university sports clubs. Club chairpersons will be asked to send an email to club players. Players interested in participating in the study will be asked to attend a meeting where the study will be explained to them. Those who were interested will then be assessed for inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Group allocation:
A four block randomization method will be used to allocate participants to the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol or the single leg bridge protocol.
Interventions:
The Nordic hamstring exercise program or the single leg bridge program.
Testing procedure:
The eccentric strength of the participants' hamstrings will be recorded before and after the exercise intervention.
A 10 point visual analogue scale will be used to record the level of muscle soreness experienced after each training session.
- Conditions
- Hamstring Injury
- Being tested
- Nordic hamstring exercise program, Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program
- Keywords
- Eccentric hamstring strength, Nordic hamstring exercise
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Nordic hamstring exercise programOther
Week 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps.
Assisted nordic hamstring exercise programOther
Week 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Nordic hamstring exercise program | Active comparator | Participants are required to kneel on a gym mat keeping their hips in a slightly flexed position and to slowly lower themselves in a controlled manner as far as they could towards the ground. When they can no longer lower themselves as such, they are instructed to utilise their arms to buffer the fall and touch their chest off the ground, while maintaining tension in their hamstrings. Once their chest touches the ground they are instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands Receives: Other: Nordic hamstring exercise program |
| Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program | Experimental | Participants are required to kneel on a gym mat keeping their hips in a slightly flexed position and to slowly lower themselves in a controlled manner as far as they could towards the ground. During this exercise, participants are attached to a weighted pulley cable system via a chest attachment. A sufficient amount of assistance is given to allow the participant to lower to 30 degrees of knee flexion. When they can no longer lower themselves as such, they are instructed to utilise their arms to buffer the fall and touch their chest off the ground, while maintaining tension in their hamstrings. Once their chest touches the ground they are instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands Receives: Other: Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Eccentric hamstring strength
This will be measured using devices that measure the eccentric strength of the hamstrings during the Nordic hamstring exercise. The devices are called the Hamstring Solo device and the Nordbord device. Participants will kneel on the padded surface of the device with their lower limbs held in position just above the ankles. The ankle supports have load sensitive cells. The participants will be asked to complete the nordic hamstring exercise. This involves them folding their arms across their chest and slowly lowering themselves towards the ground by allowing their knees to slowly straighten. The load cells will record the force (newtons) during the exercise for each leg.
Measured: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
Eccentric hamstring moment
This will be measured using devices that measure the eccentric strength of the hamstrings during the Nordic hamstring exercise. The devices are called the Hamstring Solo device and the Nordbord device. Participants will kneel on the padded surface of the device with their lower limbs held in position just above the ankles. The ankle supports have load sensitive cells. The participants will be asked to complete the nordic hamstring exercise. This involves them folding their arms across their chest and slowly lowering themselves towards the ground by allowing their knees to slowly straighten. The load cells will record the force (newtons) during the exercise for each leg. The distance from the load cells to the knee joint will be measured (meters) to calculate the moment in Newton meters for the exercise
Measured: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
Hamstring strength endurance
This will be measured by assessing the number of repetitions of the single leg bridge exercise to failure
Measured: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Muscle soreness ratings following exercise
Participants will use a ten point numerical rating scale to record the level of muscle soreness after training sessions. The scale will range from 0 to 10 where 0 is no pain and 10 is the most severe pain imaginable.
Measured: immediately following each session
between limb asymmetries in hamstring strength, moment and endurance.
percentage between limb asymmetries will be calculated
Measured: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Feb 2021
- Study start13 Feb 2022
- Primary completion6 May 2022
- Study completion6 Nov 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Hamstring InjuryStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 38 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Dublin City University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Enda Whyte, Dublin City University
- Investigators
- enda whyte, PhD, Principal investigator, Dublin City University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04744194
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2019_10_EW/FB
- Status last verified
- Feb 2023
- First submitted
- 1 Feb 2021
- Last updated
- 10 Feb 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Feb 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of a 6 Week Nordic Hamstring Exercise and an Assisted Nordic Hamstring Program on Hamstring Muscle Strength
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04744194
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2019_10_EW/FB
- Conditions
- Hamstring Injury
- Keywords
- Eccentric hamstring strength, Nordic hamstring exercise
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 38 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Dublin City UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Feb 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 May 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Nov 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 8 Feb 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to compare the effect of two hamstring strengthening programs on hamstring muscle strength in university students. 60 participants will be recruited for this study. They will be randomly assigned to one of two 6-week hamstring strengthening programs, namely the single leg bridge exercise and the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol, and one control group. Eccentric and isometric hamstring strength, gluteal strength and will sprint speed will be measured before and after the intervention.
Detailed description
Participants will be recruited from the local university sports clubs. Club chairpersons will be asked to send an email to club players. Players interested in participating in the study will be asked to attend a meeting where the study will be explained to them. Those who were interested will then be assessed for inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Group allocation:
A four block randomization method will be used to allocate participants to the Nordic hamstring exercise protocol or the single leg bridge protocol.
Interventions:
The Nordic hamstring exercise program or the single leg bridge program.
Testing procedure:
The eccentric strength of the participants' hamstrings will be recorded before and after the exercise intervention.
A 10 point visual analogue scale will be used to record the level of muscle soreness experienced after each training session.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Nordic hamstring exercise program | Active comparator | Other: Nordic hamstring exercise programParticipants are required to kneel on a gym mat keeping their hips in a slightly flexed position and to slowly lower themselves in a controlled manner as far as they could towards the ground. When they can no longer lower themselves as such, they are instructed to utilise their arms to buffer the fall and touch their chest off the ground, while maintaining tension in their hamstrings. Once their chest touches the ground they are instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands |
| Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program | Experimental | Other: Assisted nordic hamstring exercise programParticipants are required to kneel on a gym mat keeping their hips in a slightly flexed position and to slowly lower themselves in a controlled manner as far as they could towards the ground. During this exercise, participants are attached to a weighted pulley cable system via a chest attachment. A sufficient amount of assistance is given to allow the participant to lower to 30 degrees of knee flexion. When they can no longer lower themselves as such, they are instructed to utilise their arms to buffer the fall and touch their chest off the ground, while maintaining tension in their hamstrings. Once their chest touches the ground they are instructed to immediately return to the starting position by pushing up with their hands |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- free from hamstring injury in the 6 months prior to the study
- currently competing in team sports at least three occasions per week
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- history of a hip or knee injury in the 3 months prior to the study
- a history of anterior cruciate ligament rupture
- a history of involvement in a hamstring strengthening, injury prevention programme in the 3 months prior to the study.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Nordic hamstring exercise programWeek 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps. | Other | Nordic hamstring exercise program |
| Assisted nordic hamstring exercise programWeek 1 - 1 session per week consisting of 2 sets of 5 reps of the exercise Week 2 - 2 sessions per week consisting of 2 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 3 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 6 reps of the exercise Week 4 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of 8 reps of the exercise Weeks 5 and 6 - 3 sessions per week consisting of 3 sets of the exercise. Set 1 with 12 reps, set 2 with 10 reps and set 3 with 8 reps. | Other | Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program |
Primary outcome
Eccentric hamstring strength
Time frame: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
This will be measured using devices that measure the eccentric strength of the hamstrings during the Nordic hamstring exercise. The devices are called the Hamstring Solo device and the Nordbord device. Participants will kneel on the padded surface of the device with their lower limbs held in position just above the ankles. The ankle supports have load sensitive cells. The participants will be asked to complete the nordic hamstring exercise. This involves them folding their arms across their chest and slowly lowering themselves towards the ground by allowing their knees to slowly straighten. The load cells will record the force (newtons) during the exercise for each leg.
Eccentric hamstring moment
Time frame: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
This will be measured using devices that measure the eccentric strength of the hamstrings during the Nordic hamstring exercise. The devices are called the Hamstring Solo device and the Nordbord device. Participants will kneel on the padded surface of the device with their lower limbs held in position just above the ankles. The ankle supports have load sensitive cells. The participants will be asked to complete the nordic hamstring exercise. This involves them folding their arms across their chest and slowly lowering themselves towards the ground by allowing their knees to slowly straighten. The load cells will record the force (newtons) during the exercise for each leg. The distance from the load cells to the knee joint will be measured (meters) to calculate the moment in Newton meters for the exercise
Hamstring strength endurance
Time frame: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
This will be measured by assessing the number of repetitions of the single leg bridge exercise to failure
2 secondary outcomes
Muscle soreness ratings following exercise
Time frame: immediately following each session
between limb asymmetries in hamstring strength, moment and endurance.
Time frame: Change from baseline after 6 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Feb 2023.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
enda whyte, PhD principal investigator
Dublin City University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Nordic hamstring exercise program and Assisted nordic hamstring exercise program in people with Hamstring Injury, run by Dublin City University at 1 site in Ireland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Feb 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Ireland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Eccentric hamstring strength (time frame: Change from baseline after 6 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Feb 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.