Adductor squeeze test and groin injuries in elite football players: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

To examining the relationship between hip adductor strength and groin injury incidence during the competitive season of professional football teams.

DESIGN

Prospective Cohort study.

SETTING

Controlled laboratory environment.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-one players volunteered to participate.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

In the pre-season, maximal hip adductor strength was measured by means of the isometric adductor squeeze test. Hip adductor strength, normalized by body mass, was compared between players who suffered a groin injury (n = 18) vs uninjured players (n = 53). Risk ratios (RR) were used to evaluate the likelihood of players to suffer this type of injury.

RESULTS

Most of the reported groin injuries occurred during competitive matches (5.5 per 1000 match hours). Maximal isometric hip adductor strength was lower in the groin-injured group compared with their uninjured counterparts (429.8 ± 100 vs 564 ± 58.7 N, d = -1.58 and 5.40 ± 1.27 vs 7.71 ± 0.89 N/kg, d = -1.88, respectively). Results revealed that values of maximal isometric adductor strength lower than 465.33 N increased the probability to suffer a groin injury by 72%. Furthermore, values of force relative to body mass lower than 6.971 N/kg increased the probability to suffer a groin injury by 83%.

CONCLUSION

The assessment of Hip adductor strength, in addition to other measurements, might help practitioners to determine the probability of suffering an overuse groin injuries in elite football players.