Biceps Femoris Activation during Hamstring Strength Exercises: A Systematic Review

Llurda-Almuzara, Luis; Labata-Lezáun, Noé; López-de-Celis, Carlos; Aiguadé, Ramón; Romaní-Sánchez, Sergi; Rodríguez-Sanz, Jacobo; Fernández‐de‐las‐Peñas, César; Pérez‐Bellmunt, Albert

doi:10.3390/ijerph18168733

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Hence, hamstring torque produced under different testing conditions is frequently attributed to neuromuscular activation factors [ 69 , 127 , 128 ]. Electromyogram (EMG) amplitude, measured using both surface and indwelling electrode techniques, has been primarily used to categorize muscle activation intensity, and therefore assist professionals when selecting the most appropriate exercise for recruiting a particular hamstring muscle (for relevant reviews see [ 19 , 29 ]). However, the level of activity recorded using these techniques cannot immediately provide an estimate of the level of “activation”, defined as the activation state of the muscle between rest (0% active) and absolute maximum activation (100%); instead, it provides only a measure of the electrical activity recorded at an electrode under a prescribed set of conditions.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using the average EMG amplitude during exercise, researchers have asked whether specific exercises might preferentially recruit a particular hamstring component [ 19 , 29 , 170 , 171 ]. Taking the average amplitude of EMG signal may be considered as an index of muscle recruitment, but it does not provide information on the activation-length relations.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To begin to answer some of these questions, it is important to fully understand the force-length properties and moment arm profiles of the individual hamstrings components and how these are affected by relative changes in hip versus knee angles. While previous reviews have provided detailed examination of activation patterns during various exercises [ 18 , 19 , 29 ], the impact of architecture, activation, and moment arm and the resulting force-length properties of each hamstring component, and their subsequent impact on the knee flexor torque-angle relationship, have not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this review, therefore, is to examine the factors influencing the force-length and torque-angle properties of the hamstrings and to relate them to their in vivo function.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hamstrings force-length relationships and their implications for angle-specific joint torques: a narrative review

Kellis

Blazevich

2022

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil

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Temporal biomechanical and physiological responses to physical activity vary between individual hamstrings components as well as between exercises, suggesting that hamstring muscles operate differently, and over different lengths, between tasks. Nevertheless, the force-length properties of these muscles have not been thoroughly investigated. The present review examines the factors influencing the hamstrings’ force-length properties and relates them to in vivo function. A search in four databases was performed for studies that examined relations between muscle length and force, torque, activation, or moment arm of hamstring muscles. Evidence was collated in relation to force-length relationships at a sarcomere/fiber level and then moment arm-length, activation-length, and torque-joint angle relations. Five forward simulation models were also used to predict force-length and torque-length relations of hamstring muscles. The results show that, due to architectural differences alone, semitendinosus (ST) produces less peak force and has a flatter active (contractile) fiber force-length relation than both biceps femoris long head (BFlh) and semimembranosus (SM), however BFlh and SM contribute greater forces through much of the hip and knee joint ranges of motion. The hamstrings’ maximum moment arms are greater at the hip than knee, so the muscles tend to act more as force producers at the hip but generate greater joint rotation and angular velocity at the knee for a given muscle shortening length and speed. However, SM moment arm is longer than SM and BFlh, partially alleviating its reduced force capacity but also reducing its otherwise substantial excursion potential. The current evidence, bound by the limitations of electromyography techniques, suggests that joint angle-dependent activation variations have minimal impact on force-length or torque-angle relations. During daily activities such as walking or sitting down, the hamstrings appear to operate on the ascending limbs of their force-length relations while knee flexion exercises performed with hip angles 45–90° promote more optimal force generation. Exercises requiring hip flexion at 45–120° and knee extension 45–0° (e.g. sprint running) may therefore evoke greater muscle forces and, speculatively, provide a more optimum adaptive stimulus. Finally, increases in resistance to stretch during hip flexion beyond 45° result mainly from SM and BFlh muscles.

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Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hamstrings force-length relationships and their implications for angle-specific joint torques: a narrative review

Kellis

Blazevich

2022

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil

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“…Indeed, when elite junior high jumpers trained with plyometrics, training targeted the lower extremity extensor mechanism without supplemental hamstring training, giving rise to a potential imbalance between lower extremity extensors and flexors [22]. To minimize risks for hamstring injuries, RT would need to strengthen the disproportionately weakened hamstrings by 'one-sided training' [23][24][25]. Antagonist response to RT and other exercise interventions are important in rehabilitation of patients with stroke [26], multiple sclerosis [27], Parkinson's disease [28,29], and cerebral palsy [30], patients who all tend to exhibit heightened antagonist muscle activation linked to impaired motor performance [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Training History-Dependent Functional Role of EMG Model-Predicted Antagonist Moments in Knee Extensor Moment Generation in Healthy Young Adults

et al. 2022

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Resistance training (RT) improves the skeletal muscle’s ability to generate maximal voluntary force and is accompanied by changes in the activation of the antagonist muscle which is not targeted primarily by RT. However, the nature and role of neural adaptation to RT in the antagonist muscle is paradoxical and not well understood. We compared moments, agonist muscle activation, antagonist activation, agonist-antagonist coactivation, and electromyographic (EMG) model-predicted moments generated by antagonist hamstring muscle coactivation during isokinetic knee extension in leg strength-trained (n = 10) and untrained (n = 11) healthy, younger adults. Trained vs. untrained adults were up to 58% stronger. During knee extension, hamstring activation was 1.6-fold greater in trained vs. untrained adults (p = 0.022). This hamstring activation produced 2.6-fold greater model-predicted antagonist moments during knee extension in the trained (42.7 ± 19.55 Nm) vs. untrained group (16.4 ± 12.18 Nm; p = 0.004), which counteracted (reduced) quadriceps knee extensor moments ~43 Nm (0.54 Nm·kg−1) and by ~16 Nm (0.25 Nm·kg−1) in trained vs. untrained. Antagonist hamstring coactivation correlated with decreases and increases, respectively, in quadriceps moments in trained and untrained. The EMG model-predicted antagonist moments revealed training history-dependent functional roles in knee extensor moment generation.

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“…Optimal hip extensor and trunk muscle strength have been associated with injury prevention, pain reduction, and an enhancement of athletic performance [ 1 – 4 ]. Bridging exercise is an accepted component of physical therapy programs that assist in strengthening these muscle groups of the back.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Knee Flexion Angles on the Joint Force and Muscle Force during Bridging Exercise: A Musculoskeletal Model Simulation

Takeshita

Kawada

Miyazaki

et al. 2022

Journal of Healthcare Engineering

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Bridging exercise is commonly used to increase the strength of the hip extensor and trunk muscles in physical therapy practice. However, the effect of lower limb positioning on the joint and muscle forces during the bridging exercise has not been analyzed. The purpose of this study was to use a musculoskeletal model simulation to examine joint and muscle forces during bridging at three different knee joint angle positions. Fifteen healthy young males (average age: 23.5 ± 2.2 years) participated in this study. Muscle and joint forces of the lumbar spine and hip joint during the bridging exercise were estimated at knee flexion angles of 60°, 90°, and 120° utilizing motion capture data. The lumbar joint force and erector spinae muscle force decreased significantly as the angle of the knee joint increased. The resultant joint forces were 200.0 ± 23.2% of body weight (%BW), 174.6 ± 18.6% BW, and 150.5 ± 15.8% BW at 60°, 90°, and 120° knee flexion angles, respectively. On the other hand, the hip joint force, muscle force of the gluteus maxims, and adductor magnus tended to increase as the angle of the knee joint increased. The resultant joint forces were 274.4 ± 63.7% BW, 303.9 ± 85.8% BW, and 341.1 ± 85.7% BW at a knee flexion angle of 60°, 90°, and 120°, respectively. The muscle force of the biceps femoris decreased significantly with increased knee flexion during the bridging exercise. In conclusion, the knee flexion position during bridging exercise has different effects on the joint and muscle forces around the hip joint and lumbar spine. These findings would help clinicians prescribe an effective bridging exercise that includes optimal lower limb positioning for patients who require training of back and hip extensor muscles.

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Biceps Femoris Activation during Hamstring Strength Exercises: A Systematic Review

Cited by 9 publications

References 69 publications

Hamstrings force-length relationships and their implications for angle-specific joint torques: a narrative review

Hamstrings force-length relationships and their implications for angle-specific joint torques: a narrative review

Training History-Dependent Functional Role of EMG Model-Predicted Antagonist Moments in Knee Extensor Moment Generation in Healthy Young Adults

Effects of Knee Flexion Angles on the Joint Force and Muscle Force during Bridging Exercise: A Musculoskeletal Model Simulation

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