The Effect of Combining Therapeutic Exercises with Preventive Exercises on Strength and Flexibility Following Hamstring Injuries in Athletes

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the effect of combining therapeutic exercises with preventive exercises on improving muscular strength and flexibility of the hamstring muscles in athletes after injury. The researcher adopted an experimental approach using a one-group design with pre- and post-tests. The research sample consisted of three football players from Al-Khalis Sports Club who had mild hamstring injuries. A rehabilitation program was implemented that included twelve integrated therapeutic and preventive exercises targeting the hamstring muscles. The program lasted six weeks with three rehabilitation sessions per week.

A set of physical tests was used to measure the research variables, including tests of hamstring muscular strength (eccentric, isometric, and dynamic strength) as well as flexibility and joint range of motion tests related to the hamstring muscles. The results showed statistically significant differences between the pre-tests and post-tests in favor of the post-tests across all study variables, indicating the effectiveness of the integrated rehabilitation program in improving muscular strength and increasing hamstring flexibility among the injured players.

The researcher concluded that integrating therapeutic and preventive exercises is an effective approach for rehabilitating injured muscles and enhancing their functional efficiency, while also helping to reduce the risk of injury recurrence. The study recommends adopting such integrated rehabilitation programs in sports clubs and physical therapy centers, while ensuring gradual progression in training load according to the athlete’s condition.