Normative values of eccentric hamstring strength during the Nordic hamstring exercise in Colombian under-20 soccer players
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v85.120149Keywords:
Hamstring muscles , muscle strength, soccer, reference values, youth sportsAbstract
Introduction: eccentric hamstring strength measured during the Nordic hamstring exercise is used to profile and monitor soccer players, but its individual interpretation requires reference values obtained in the same population and with the same device and protocol.
Objective: to describe the distribution of absolute and body mass-normalized peak eccentric hamstring strength during the Nordic hamstring exercise in Colombian under-20 soccer players and to pro-pose a descriptive percentile-based classification.
Methodology: in this cross-sectional study, 142 male players aged 17 to 20 years from five clubs in the department of Atlántico, Colombia, were assessed at the end of the 2025 preseason. Peak force of each limb was recorded over three repetitions with a load cell device of known reliability (ICC (3,1) = 0.85) and ex-pressed in newtons (N) and N/kg. Percentiles 5 to 95 were calculated, and five categories were defined using the 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles as cut-off points.
Results: the dominant limb, defined as the limb with the higher peak force, produced 387.34 ± 109.60 N (5.45 ± 1.36 N/kg) and the non-dominant limb 339.52 ± 92.69 N (4.78 ± 1.16 N/kg). The median bilateral average was 360.14 N (IQR: 287.73–424.40) and 5.04 N/kg (IQR: 4.31–5.92). Body mass correlated with absolute strength (r = 0.43; p < 0.001) but not with relative strength.
Conclusion: these values are a descriptive reference for under-20 players assessed with the same device and protocol; the categories are not clinically validated and should not be used to predict inju-ries.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Roberto Carlos Rebolledo Cobos, Raúl Polo Gallardo, Cristian Banguera Moreno, Paola Florez Pacheco, Eulalia Amador Rodero, Jheifer Paez Almentero, Carlos Rolong Donado, Bruno Manfredini Baroni
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