Do functional hamstring to quadriceps ratio differ between men and women with and without stroke?

The functional hamstrings/quadriceps ratio (FH/Q) is useful to detect muscle imbalances after stroke. However, is necessary to investigate possible differences between men and women affected by stroke and controls.

To compare the FH/Q between men and women with stroke and matched controls.

Cross-sectional study. Fifty-six participants (10 men - M_STK and 18 women - W_STK with stroke; and 10 men - M_CONT and 18 women - W_CONT, matched controls) were recruited. The concentric knee extension (conc) and eccentric flexion exercises (ecc) were performed, and peak torque (PT) was used to calculate the FH/Q. Comparisons of PT between sexes (M_STK vs W_STK; M_CONT vs W_CONT) and comparisons of FH/Q between sexes and groups (M_STK vs M_CONT; W_STK vs W_CONT), considering dominant vs non-paretic side and non-dominant vs paretic side were performed by ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test, when applicable.

No significant FH/Q differences were found between STK vs CONT and sexes (non-paretic vs dominant). The paretic FH/Q was significantly higher than the non-dominant (CONT), for both sexes. PTconc and PTecc were significant higher for men, considering limbs comparisons. No significant PTecc an PTconc differences were found between STK vs CONT, for men's non-paretic and paretic limb's. However, men's non-dominant limb presented a higher PTconc compared to men's paretic limbs.

Our study demonstrated that individuals affected by stroke had a higher FH/Q in the paretic limb compared to the non-dominant limb of the control group, for both men and women. One interesting finding was the absence of significant FH/Q differences between men and women with stroke.