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The dose-response of pain throughout a Nordic hamstring exercise intervention
Fearghal P Behan1,2, David A Opar3,4, Robin Vermeulen1,5
1Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|January 18, 2023
Summary
The Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) can cause soreness. Increasing NHE volume, especially a low-to-high approach, leads to more muscle pain and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- The Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is effective in reducing hamstring injuries.
- Poor compliance with high-volume NHE is often linked to exercise-induced muscle soreness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between different Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) dosages and the incidence of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and non-DOMS pain.
- To determine the dose-response effect of NHE on muscle pain.
Main Methods:
- Forty male participants were randomized into four groups over a 6-week intervention.
- Each group followed a different NHE volume protocol: very low, low, initial high-to-low, and low-to-high volume.
- DOMS and non-DOMS pain were measured to assess the effects of varying NHE dosages.
Main Results:
- The group progressing from low to high NHE volume (Group 4) reported significantly higher levels of DOMS (p < 0.05) and non-DOMS pain (p = 0.030) compared to other groups.
- Higher volumes of NHE were associated with increased DOMS and non-DOMS pain.
Conclusions:
- High-volume Nordic hamstring exercise protocols can exacerbate delayed onset muscle soreness and general muscle pain.
- Lower volume NHE protocols appear to result in reduced muscle soreness and pain responses, potentially improving compliance.
