COMPARISON OF DOMINANT AND NON-DOMINANT LEG STRENGTH AND HAMSTRING: QUADRICEPS RATIO IN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYERS

The literature has revealed that knee injuries are the most common injury among basketball players. The strength ratios dominant/non-dominant and posterior-anterior around the knee joint are used to evaluate strength balances. But there has been far less research published about strength evaluation in professional-level basketball. The objectives of the present study were: (i) to compare hamstring and quadriceps muscles’ strength values during concentric knee extension and flexion at different angular velocities at professional level basketballers, (ii) to determine dominant and non-dominant strength values during these contractions. 13 professional male basketball athletes voluntarily participated in the study. The leg strength was evaluated with an isokinetic dynamometer at 240-180-120-600/s angular velocities. The hamstring and quadriceps unilateral peak torque ratio (H/Q) and dominant non-dominant strength ratio were calculated. The independent t-test was computed to bilateral and unilateral strength outputs. There was no statistically significant difference between dominant and non-dominant strength values at peak torque, normalized peak torque, and H/Q at all angular velocities. Relative peak torque outputs in both legs were similar at all angular velocities. Also, the H/Q was calculated as ≥0.60 in all velocities. The results of this study suggest there were not any significant differences in the unilateral and bilateral evaluations of professional basketballers. These non-significant differences could be related to the necessity to maintain similar strength of two legs.