Effect of Changing the Muscles Activation Patterns in Prone Hip Extension on Kinematical Variables Affecting the Hamstring Injury

The Prone Hip Extension test (PHE) is used to evaluate the quality of motor control in the lumbopelvic region. Because of the similarity of this test to the walking and running pattern, it seems that muscle interaction in this test is important in hamstring injury. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of changing the activation patterns of muscles in prone hip extension on kinematical variables affecting hamstring injury. 28 male soccer players participated in this study. The prone hip extension test was used to evaluate and classify subjects, and based on the activation pattern, they were divided into two groups: normal pattern (N=14) and altered pattern (N=14). We used the Myon electromyography device to evaluate the prone hip extension test muscles activation pattern. Also, the kinematic evaluation of running was done on a treadmill at a speed of 20 km/h. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional video analyses were used to extract kinematic data (pelvic tilt, trunk lateral flexion, and trunk flexion). The range of motion in a running cycle and the amount of each variable at the moment of initial foot contact were used. An Independent t-test was used to analyze the data. The results of this research showed that there is a significant difference in the amount of trunk lateral flexion (p= 0/002), and trunk flexion (p= 0/024) at the moment of the initial foot contact and the range of motion of trunk lateral flexion (p=0/019), and trunk flexion (p=0/035) and pelvic tilt (p=0/008) in a running cycle between the changed pattern group and the normal group. The results of this research showed that changing the pattern of muscle activation in the prone hip extension test can increase the risk of a hamstring injury.