Hidden muscle damage lingers after hamstring pulls
NCT ID NCT07171385
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looked at 42 male football players, half with a recent hamstring strain and half without. Using muscle activity sensors, researchers found that injured players still had weaker activation in several muscles—not just the hamstring—up to six months later. These hidden deficits may increase the chance of getting hurt again.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If confirmed, these findings could help design better rehab programs to prevent repeat hamstring injuries in athletes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed observational study with only 42 male football players. Results may not apply to other sports, genders, or ages, and do not prove that changing rehab will reduce injuries.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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42 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2023
- Finished
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Mar 2024
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Forty-two male football players aged 18-30 years participated, including 21 with a history of unilateral hamstring strain injury and 21 healthy controls. All were recreational to semi-professional athletes with BMI within the normal range and able to complete functional posterior chain exercises.
- Ages
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18 to 30 years
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male football players, aged 18-30 years * Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-24.9 kg/m² * Voluntary participation and written informed consent * Ability to perform all test exercises (Nordic Hamstring Curl, Kettlebell Swing, Supine Sliding Single-Leg Curl) * For injured group: unilateral hamstring strain within the past 6 months * For control group: no hamstring injury within the past 6 months Exclusion Criteria: * Professional sports background * Lower or upper extremity injury within the last year (other than index hamstring strain for the injured group) * Neurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory, or cardiovascular conditions limiting participation * Recent spinal surgery * Acute low-back or lower-limb pain * Sensory impairments interfering with performance * History of malignancy
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Health Sciences
Ankara, Etlik, 06100, Turkey (Türkiye)
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