Optimizing Hamstring Rehabilitation With Amino Acids

NCT ID: NCT07086209

Last Updated: 2025-07-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 25 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-19
• Study Completion Date: 2025-10-20

Brief Summary

Hamstring injuries are among the most prevalent and troublesome injuries in athletes, particularly those engaged in sports that require high-speed movements such as sprinting, kicking, and rapid changes in direction. The hamstring muscles, which include the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus, are essential for powerful lower limb actions, and thus, any injury to these muscles can significantly impact an athlete's performance and recovery. These injuries often occur during eccentric muscle contractions, such as when the muscles lengthen rapidly under tension, as seen in running and sprinting. According to epidemiological studies, hamstring strains account for a substantial portion of sports-related injuries, with hamstring strains being the most commonly reported injury in disciplines such as football, soccer, rugby, and athletics. In professional football, for instance, hamstring injuries account for approximately 12% of all injuries and represent the most frequent muscle strain, underlining their significance in the context of athletic performance.

Conditions

Seamless Return to Sports

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Therapeutic Exercise + Amino Acid Supplementation

Participants in this arm will undergo a structured 6-week therapeutic exercise rehabilitation program combined with daily oral branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation (10 g per day, divided into two doses: pre-training and post-training). The exercise program includes progressive isometric, eccentric, plyometric, and sprint-specific training to optimize hamstring recovery.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplement

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Oral BCAA blend (leucine, isoleucine, valine), 10 g/day divided into two doses, pre- and post-training, for 6 weeks.

Therapeutic Exercise Program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

6-week structured program including isometric, eccentric, plyometric, and sprint-specific exercises.

Therapeutic Exercise Only

Arm Description:

Participants in this arm will undergo the same structured 6-week therapeutic exercise rehabilitation program without any amino acid supplementation. The exercise program includes progressive isometric, eccentric, plyometric, and sprint-specific training for hamstring recovery.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplement

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Oral BCAA blend (leucine, isoleucine, valine), 10 g/day divided into two doses, pre- and post-training, for 6 weeks.

Therapeutic Exercise Program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

6-week structured program including isometric, eccentric, plyometric, and sprint-specific exercises.

Interventions

Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplement

Oral BCAA blend (leucine, isoleucine, valine), 10 g/day divided into two doses, pre- and post-training, for 6 weeks.

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Therapeutic Exercise Program

6-week structured program including isometric, eccentric, plyometric, and sprint-specific exercises.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Therapeutic Exercise + Amino Acid Supplementation

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• • Male football players aged 18 to 35 years.

• Active players from eight clubs in the Iraqi Football League.
• MRI-confirmed partial hamstring muscle injury.
• No participation in other ongoing rehabilitation programs.

Exclusion Criteria

• • History of hamstring injury in the past six months.

• Any other musculoskeletal injuries affecting lower limbs.
• Contraindications for MRI scanning (e.g., metal implants, pacemakers).
• Any existing neurological or metabolic conditions affecting muscle recovery.

• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Universidad de Zaragoza

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Kamal Hadib Abdulridha

PhD Student

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Related Links

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

pubmed

Other Identifiers

Unizar

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id