Comparison of the acute effect of eccentric exercises with and without the use of massage on some risk factors of hamstring muscle strain in male football players and its durability

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of immediate eccentric exercises with and without massage on preventing hamstring muscle injuries in male football players. Since hamstring muscle strain is considered one of the most common injuries among football players, choosing the best method to prevent this type of injury is of utmost importance.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 24 male football players from 2 clubs at the provincial level in Tehran were randomly selected and divided into two experimental groups 1 and 2. The variables under investigation were hamstring muscle flexibility, knee joint position sense, and hamstring muscle strength. Initially, experimental group 1 received Nordic exercise and massage, while experimental group 2 only performed Nordic exercise. One hour after the post-test, the participants were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a 3×2 within-subject design and SPSS software version 26.
Results: The results of this study showed that in measuring the knee joint position sense at a 45-degree angle per second and at the post-test - retention level, significant differences were only observed in the group without massage. Also, the ratio of hamstring strength to quadriceps at a speed of 180 degrees per second at the post-test - retention level and a speed of 300 degrees per second at the pre-test - post-test and pre-test - retention levels showed significant differences. Hamstring flexibility was also significant only at the pre-test - post-test level. Regarding concentric and eccentric hamstring strength, no significant differences were observed between groups and levels, except for some cases where significant differences existed.
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that no significant difference was observed between the two groups in eccentric exercise with and without the use of massage.