Examining mechanisms that contribute to muscular fatigue can
provide insight into limitations to human sport and exercise
performance, as well as the potential causation of musculoskeletal
injuries in which fatigue is cited as a primary contributory factor
[1–3]. Muscular fatigue is often identified as a risk factor linked to
the high incidence of hamstring strain injuries observed across all
levels of soccer [4–6], with injury typically observed in the latter
stages of training and each half of competitive matches [1–3].
Studies have reported reductions in knee flexor maximal torque
during and after actual and simulated soccer match play [7–10],
with reductions most pronounced in the latter stages of each half
[8,10]. No study has examined whether hamstring fatigue during
soccer is mediated by peripheral or central mechanisms.