Does the toe-touch test predict hamstring injury in Australian Rules footballers?

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Hamstring injuries are common in Australian Rules Football.
• Flexibility is often considered a risk factor for hamstring injuries.
• Previous research has yielded mixed results on the predictive value of flexibility tests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between hamstring and lumbar spine flexibility and the incidence of hamstring injuries in elite footballers.
• To determine if the toe-touch test can serve as a screening tool for identifying players at risk of hamstring injury.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 67 senior male Australian Rules footballers.
• Videotaped performance of the toe-touch test from an erect standing position.
• Measurements of hip flexion, lumbar flexion, toe-touch distance (TTD), and the ratio of lumbar to hip flexion using the Peak Motion Measurement System.

Main Results:

• Eight players (11.9%) sustained a hamstring strain during the football season.
• No significant differences were found in any measured flexibility variables between injured and uninjured players.
• None of the assessed variables could predict the likelihood of hamstring injury (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The toe-touch test, assessing hamstring and lumbar spine flexibility, is not a useful screening tool for identifying Australian Rules footballers at risk of hamstring strain.
• Flexibility, as measured in this study, does not appear to be a significant predictor of hamstring injuries in this cohort.
• Further research may be needed to identify reliable predictors of hamstring injuries in athletes.