HYPE: Nordic hamstring curls prevent hamstring injuries.
But what does the evidence actually show?
Programmes including Nordic hamstring exercise reduce hamstring injuries substantially in studied athletes, especially footballers. They reduce risk rather than making injury impossible.
The claim worth testing
The Nordic exercise asks the hamstrings to resist a forward lowering movement. Unlike claims based only on soreness or muscle activation, its prevention claim has been tested by counting injuries across sporting seasons.
Why it may help
The exercise emphasises eccentric loading: producing force while the muscle lengthens. Increasing relevant strength and adaptation may help athletes tolerate the demands associated with hamstring injury. The clinical value comes from fewer injuries, not merely a plausible muscle mechanism.
What does the evidence show?
van Dyk and colleagues (2019)
Including the Nordic hamstring exercise in injury prevention programmes halves the rate of hamstring injuries
Fifteen studies included 8,459 athletes. Programmes containing Nordics were associated with roughly half the hamstring-injury risk: pooled risk ratio 0.49, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.32 to 0.74. The randomised-trial subset also supported benefit.
Results were heterogeneous and many participants were footballers. The estimate concerns programmes that include the exercise, not proof that any dose or isolated repetition works equally well.
Read the research ↗Petersen and colleagues (2011)
Preventive effect of eccentric training on acute hamstring injuries in men’s soccer
Fifty teams with 942 male players were allocated to usual training or a progressive ten-week Nordic programme followed by weekly maintenance. There were 15 acute hamstring injuries in the intervention group versus 52 in the control group over the season.
This direct injury outcome is stronger evidence than a laboratory performance marker. It supports consistent programmed use, while remaining a study in a particular athletic population.
Read the research ↗The catch / limitations
Risk reduction is not immunity. Athletes in the intervention groups still had injuries.
Adherence and progression matter. The trial programme was not an occasional maximal effort added without preparation.
Existing injury needs a different plan. Prevention studies do not prescribe rehabilitation for an injured hamstring.
What this means for you
For relevant sports, include progressive eccentric hamstring work within a broader preparation programme. Start at a manageable difficulty and allow adaptation to unfamiliar soreness.
A coach or physiotherapist can tailor the movement and progression. Combine it with appropriate training exposure and injury assessment rather than expecting one exercise to solve every risk factor.
Nordics deserve a positive verdict: well-designed programmes reduce hamstring injuries in the athletes studied.
Research & Sources
van Dyk and colleagues (2019)
Including the Nordic hamstring exercise in injury prevention programmes halves the rate of hamstring injuries
Petersen and colleagues (2011)
Preventive effect of eccentric training on acute hamstring injuries in men’s soccer
Evidence reviewed: October 2026
Evidence vs Hype explains scientific research for educational purposes and does not provide individual medical diagnosis or treatment.