Male and female elite-level rugby union players showed no significant differences in hamstring muscle fascicle length or pennation angle, indicating these are unlikely to be sex-specific risk factors for injury.
Cross-Sectional (n=40)
No
Do architectural characteristics of the hamstring muscles differ between male and female elite-level rugby union players?
Hamstring muscle fascicle length and pennation angle do not differ between male and female elite rugby players, indicating they are unlikely to be sex-specific intrinsic risk factors for hamstring strain injuries.
Mean Difference: -0.43 (95% CI -0.98–0.12)
Absolute Event Rate: 8.64% vs 8.21%
Purpose: To determine whether differences exist in the architectural characteristics of the hamstring muscles of elite-level male and female rugby union players. Methods: Forty elite-level rugby union players (male n = 20, female n = 20) participated in this cross-sectional study. A sonographer acquired static ultrasound images using a 92 mm linear transducer to quantify ( via a semi-automated tracing software tool) the architectural characteristics (muscle length, fascicle length, pennation angle, and muscle thickness) of the biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus muscles of participants’ left limb. Muscle length and muscle thickness of the biceps femoris short head and semitendinosus muscles of participants’ left limb were also quantified. Bonferroni adjusted independent samples t-tests were performed to evaluate whether differences exist in the architectural characteristics of the hamstring muscles of elite-level male and female rugby union players. Results: There were no significant differences in fascicle length or pennation angle of the hamstring muscles of elite-level male and female rugby union players. Some significant differences in muscle thickness (biceps femoris short head, and semimembranosus) and muscle length (biceps femoris short head, biceps femoris long head, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus) were observed; in all cases the male players had thicker and longer muscles. Conclusion: At a group level, hamstring muscle fascicle length and pennation angle are unlikely to be a sex-specific intrinsic risk factor for Hamstring strain injuries.
Cronin et al. (Fri,) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy elite-level rugby union players (n=40). Male sex vs. Female sex was evaluated on Biceps femoris long head (zone A) fascicle length (cm) (MD -0.43, 95% CI -0.98 to 0.12). Male and female elite-level rugby union players showed no significant differences in hamstring muscle fascicle length or pennation angle, indicating these are unlikely to be sex-specific risk factors for injury.