Movement Rate and Brain-Muscle Coupling in Male Footballers With and Without Hamstring Injury History.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics

Background:

• High-speed actions in football are a primary cause of hamstring strain injuries (HSIs).
• Supraspinal factors influence HSIs, but brain-muscle coupling in players with HSI history is understudied.
• This study investigates differences in brain and muscle activity during high-speed knee movements between players with and without HSI history.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if movement speed and brain-muscle activity differ in footballers with and without a history of hamstring strain injuries.
• To explore the neurophysiological underpinnings of HSIs and their persistence post-injury.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 108 male footballers (39 with HSI history).
• Participants performed a maximum-speed knee flexion-extension task.
• Electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and movement rate were recorded to assess brain-muscle coupling and performance.

Main Results:

• Players with HSI history showed higher movement rates, altered EEG patterns (increased theta, decreased alpha), and reduced muscle activity (rectus femoris, biceps femoris).
• Less flexor-extensor co-contraction was observed in the HSI group.
• No group differences in corticomuscular coherence (CMC), but biceps femoris had significantly lower CMC.

Conclusions:

• The task effectively differentiated players with and without HSI history.
• Players with HSI history demonstrated EEG patterns indicative of increased task load and attentional resource utilization.
• Despite reduced muscle activity, players with HSI history performed better, suggesting neurocognitive factors are crucial in HSIs and rehabilitation.