[Isokinetic profile of knee muscles in Tunisian competitive footballers].

BACKGROUND: During football several joints are greatly demanded, especially the knees.The interest of the isokinetic is to detect an imbalance between agonist and antagonist muscles of the muscle leg and between dominant and non dominant leg, in order to prevent injuries and to improve the physical fitness of young soccer players.

AIM: evaluate the isokinetic profile of flexor and extensor muscles of the knee of competitive footballers Methods : Prospective study conducted in the department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine of the Military Tunis Hospital, including 15 competitive footballers and evaluated during the month of August 2012. All patients underwent an isokinetic assessment of agonist and antagonist muscles of the knees in concentric mode 3 speed 60 ° / 120 ° and 180 ° (with analysis of figures and curves), using a Biodex dynamometer. The selected parameters were the time of maximum force (MFM) of the knee flexors and extensors, and the agonists / antagonists ratio (IJ / Q). The data were analyzed by SPSS software.

RESULTS: 15 competitive footballers were included. The average age is 23.20 years ± 3.99 years, ranging from 18 to 28 years. The average size is 167.13 cm ± 3.6 cm with a range of 163 and 172 cm. The average weight is 60.87 kg ± 5.97 with a range of 50 to 70 kg. The isokinetic evaluation showed a statistically significant superiority of the flexor muscles of the right knee compared with those of the left knee at the speed 60 / s (p = 0.046) and 120 / s (p = 0.031), whereas this difference has not been found for the extensors muscles. The values of the ratio of quadriceps to hamstring increases with the speed of movement performed, the maximum moment / weight moving in the opposite direction.

CONCLUSION: The isokinetic evaluation allows an objective assessment of the flexor and extensor muscles of the knee footballers, in order to correct imbalance and preserve the sporting future of the young footballers.