Eccentric Hamstring Training vs Sprint-Specific Training for Hamstring Performance in Young Athletes
Official title: Comparison Between Eccentric Hamstring Strength Training and Sprint-Specific Training on Muscle Hypertrophy, Strength, Power, and Sprint Performance in Club Sport Collegiate Athletes
Run by University of Wisconsin, Madison · NCT07716319 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether three hamstring training approaches (eccentric, sprint-based, and Romanian deadlift with Nordic hamstring) improve hamstring structure and sprint-related performance in healthy young athletes.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Wisconsin, Madison Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Madison, Wisconsin) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 28, 2026 |
| Main results expected | September 2027 |
| Study ends | September 2027 |
| Registry record updated | November 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07716319 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Young, healthy athletes aged 18-25 who actively participate in club sports and have at least 6 months resistance-training experience with no recent hamstring injuries.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals with recent hamstring injuries, major lower-extremity surgery history, acute leg injuries, or who cannot commit to at least 80% of sessions may not benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Healthy, physically active adults aged 18-25 who participate in club sports are randomized to 10 weeks of one of three hamstring interventions: eccentric hamstring training, Romanian deadlift, or Nordic hamstring exercise, with a sprint-specific program as a comparison. Baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and 2-week deload assessments include ultrasound measures of hamstring architecture, joint ranges of motion, strength tests, jump performance, change-of-direction, and 60-meter sprint analysis. Training is intensity-, volume-, and time-under-tension-matched across groups, and adherence is monitored. The study aims to understand how different hamstring-training modalities influence muscle architecture, strength, power, and sprint performance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide athletes and coaches on which hamstring training method yields the best improvements in sprinting performance and muscle characteristics.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has explored hamstring injury prevention and strength gains with eccentric vs traditional training, but this direct comparison to sprint-specific training and detailed imaging outcomes is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-25 years * Actively participating in a club team * \>6 months experience with resistance training * Minimum of 1 year experience at the high school level in organized team sport * No history of hamstring injury within the last 6 months * No history of major lower extremity surgery (including back) * No acute musculoskeletal injury to the lower extremity * Not currently pregnant Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to refrain from resistance training outside the study * Unable to make at least 80% of the training sessions * Hamstring injury in the last 6 months * History of major lower extremity surgery (including back) * Acute musculoskeletal injury to the lower extremity * Currently pregnant
Where it's running
-
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Scott K Crawford, PhD
- Email: skcrawford2@wisc.edu
- Phone: 608) 265-1308
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.