In 321 athletes scheduled for ACL surgery, quadriceps and hamstring strength (adjusted for body weight) declined with age, but the hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio stayed stable. The widely used 3.0 Nm/kg strength target may not fit patients outside their 20s.
Quadriceps and hamstring peak torque (normalised to body mass) both declined significantly with age, explaining roughly a quarter of the variation in each muscle group. The decline was gradual and similar in shape for men and women.
Males trended toward higher normalised peak torque than females, but the difference did not reach statistical significance for either the quadriceps or the hamstrings.
The hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio was essentially flat across the age range and was not predicted by age, sex, or their interaction. The cohort's average ratio fell below the 60% threshold commonly recommended after ACL surgery.
Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four participants were randomized across two intervention arms and assessed at twelve weeks for the primary outcome…
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