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Differences in Activation Patterns of the Hamstring Muscles During Sprinting

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Sports Injuries and Prevention

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Abstract

In this chapter, we evaluate the functional characteristics of the hamstring muscles during sprinting. During near maximal sprinting speed, the respective hamstring muscles exhibited very different characteristics of electromyographic (EMG) activation within the sprinting gait cycle. The activation demand of the BFlh muscles is high before and after foot contact due to their function as hip extensors, while the ST muscle shows high activation primarily during the control of knee extension and hip flexion in the mid-swing phase. The mechanism underlying these activation characteristics may involve architectural differences between the hamstring muscles, which likely reflect each muscle’s function during sprinting. A complex neuromuscular coordination pattern of the hamstring muscles during sprinting is accomplished by the utilisation and activation of each muscle’s specific functional differences.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Fellows of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan

    Ayako Higashihara

  2. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    Takashi Ono & Toru Fukubayashi

Authors
  1. Ayako Higashihara
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  2. Takashi Ono
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  3. Toru Fukubayashi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ayako Higashihara .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    Kazuyuki Kanosue

  2. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    Tetsuya Ogawa

  3. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    Mako Fukano

  4. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan

    Toru Fukubayashi

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Higashihara, A., Ono, T., Fukubayashi, T. (2015). Differences in Activation Patterns of the Hamstring Muscles During Sprinting. In: Kanosue, K., Ogawa, T., Fukano, M., Fukubayashi, T. (eds) Sports Injuries and Prevention. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55318-2_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55318-2_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-55317-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-55318-2

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