Background The hamstring/quadriceps (H/Q) functional ratio detects muscle imbalance and monitors knee joint stability, making it a predictor of injury, especially ACL. The injury of this ligament in gymnasts is one of the most incident and of greatest negative impact on recovery and return to sports.

Objective To evaluate functional H/Q at different angular velocities and contralateral deficit of the lower limbs of female artistic gymnastics athletes.

Design Descriptive study.

Setting Federated athletes, participants of competitions at national and international level, in which two were part of the Brazilian Selection of Artistic Gymnastics.

Patients (or Participants) Selected through a club in Porto Alegre, Brazil. They had an average of eight years of experience in the modality, minimum frequency of training of six times a week, six hours daily. Participants with any lesion that interfered or made it impossible to perform the evaluations were excluded.

Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors) Functional H/Q was calculated by dividing the peak of the hamstring eccentric torque by the peak of the quadriceps concentric torque, analyzed using the isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex Medical System).

Main Outcome Measurements Isokinetic protocol at two speeds: 1) 60°/s and 2) 120°/s; and Waterloo questionnaire to determine dominant member (DM).

Results 10 elite gymnasts were evaluated, (mean±SD age 14.9±3.7 yrs; body mass 45.6±7.0 kg and height 1.51±0.04 m). The DM, as well as the non-dominant (NDM) at the moment 60°/s (0.71 ± 0.09; 0.77 ± 0.12), had values below those established in the literature (functional H/Q ≤ 0.90), at the moment 120°/s were closer to normal (0.85 ± 0.12; 0.88 ± 0.13). 5 of the 10 athletes obtained values within the normal range in the MND at 120°/s.

Conclusions All athletes presented significant thigh muscle imbalance, with functional H/Q values lower than those proposed in the literature, with proximity between the limbs. Strength training program of hamstrings should be considered in order to prevent injuries caused by muscle imbalance.