The Prevalence of Hamstring Tightness among the Male Athletes of University of Peradeniya in 2010

Abstract

R.M. I.M.Weerasekara, H.M.I.S.Kumari, L.R.N.D.Weerarathna, G.W.C.R.Withanage, C. D.Wanniarachchi, M.Yancy, S.Vigneshwaran, S. Priyanthi, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya H.J. Suraweera, Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya Muscle tightness is caused by a decrease in the ability of the muscle to de-form, resulting in a decrease in the range of motion at the joint on which it acts and is a limiting factor for optimal physical performance and an important intrinsic factor in sports injury. Three muscles that are known collectively as the hamstring muscles cover the posterior thigh. Tightness in hamstring muscles leads to hamstring injuries and hamstring injuries are the most common type of injury among athletes. These injuries are slow to recover, lead to high health expenditure and decrease the performance level of the athlete. The purpose of this study is to find the prevalence of hamstring tightness among some categories of sports and to find out whether there is a relationship of hamstring tightness with body height; femur length;duration of warm-up period and cool down period. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Prevalence of hamstring tightness is present at significantly higher rates among athletes who engaged in contact sports rather than athletes who engaged in athletics, martial arts and other sports, respectively. Within the confines of this study it was found that there is no significant association between hamstring tightness and body height, femoral length, duration of warm up and cool down periods of the athletes who were engaged in each category of sports.