"Anyone, in fact, participating in a sport involving high-speed striding — whether track and field, football, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, dance, baseball, marathons or even brisk walking — is at risk of a hamstring injury."
The Great Hamstring Saver [Well | The NYT Magazine]
Talent and tactics aside, the 2014 World Cup could be won or lost by hamstrings, those long, stringy muscles and tendons that run along the backs of the thigh from the hip to the knee. The most common injury in soccer, hamstring strains and tears democratically strike high-school players, adult-league hobbyists and such luminaries as Argentina's Lionel Messi and Spain's Diego Costa. Anyone, in fact, participating in a sport involving high-speed striding — whether track and field, football, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, dance, baseball, marathons or even brisk walking — is at risk of a hamstring injury. The hamstrings decelerate the leg as it swings forward. So, near the end of each running stride, especially during sprints, they are under considerable strain, and if insufficiently strong, may rip.
Enter the "Nordic" hamstring exercise (or Norwegian hamstring curl). According to at least half a dozen recent studies, almost two-thirds of hamstring injuries might be prevented by practicing its simple steps: After warming up, kneel on the ground, with a spotter securing your ankles. Then, as slowly and smoothly as possible, lean forward so that your chest approaches the ground. Use your hamstrings to put the brakes on your forward momentum until you can no longer resist gravity. Put out your arms at that point to stop your fall. Allow your chest to touch the ground, then push yourself upright to repeat the exercise. ...
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