Association between Hip/Groin Pain and Hip ROM and Strength in Elite Female Soccer Players.

Background/Objectives: Hip strength and range of motion have been compared in soccer players with and without hip and groin pain but only in male footballers or gender-combined samples. In female soccer players, the biomechanics contributing to this injury remain poorly understood compared to other sporting injuries. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether differences exist in adductor and abductor isometric test values and hip joint range of motion between elite female soccer players with longstanding groin pain and injury-free controls. Methods: Ten female elite soccer players with current longstanding hip and groin pain and twenty-five injury-free controls from the same teams were included in the study. Hip adductor and abductor isometric strength were evaluated with a hand-held dynamometer. A bent knee fall-out test was also utilized to examine the hip joint range of motion. Results: A significant difference in abductor isometric test values was observed between the control group (2.29 ± 0.53 N/Kg) and the hip and groin pain group (2.77 ± 0.48 N/Kg; p = 0.018). Furthermore, the injured group showed a decreased adductor/abductor ratio compared to the control group (1.00 ± 0.33 vs. 1.27 ± 0.26; p = 0.013). No differences were observed in the bent knee fall-out test (p = 0.285). Conclusions: Female elite soccer players with current longstanding hip and groin pain exhibited higher abductor isometric strength and lower adductor/abductor ratio compared to non-injured women players. There were no differences in the BKFO test between groups.

Hip adduction and abduction strength profiles in elite and sub-elite female soccer players according to players level and leg limb-dominance.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the hip adduction and abduction strength in female soccer players is crucial for performance enhancement and injury prevention. This study compares the strength profiles in these muscle groups between elite and sub-elite female soccer players and assesses the impact of leg limb-dominance. METHODS: A descriptive-comparative study was employed. Eighty-two female soccer players were evaluated. Isometric hip-adduction and abduction strength were measured using a handheld dynamometer. RESULTS: Female elite and sub-elite soccer players displayed a mean and standard deviation (SD) on isometric hip-adductor strength for dominant (3.19 Nm/kg ± 0.69 vs. 2.40 Nm/kg ± 0.67) and non-dominant leg (3.32 Nm/kg ± 0.76 versus 2.42 Nm/kg ± 0.70), respectively. For isometric hip-abductor strength in elite and sub-elite players, a mean and SD of dominant (2.86 Nm/kg ± 0.56 vs. 2.07 Nm/kg ± 0.50) and non-dominant (2.80 Nm/kg ± 0.59 vs. 2.04 Nm/kg ± 0.43). In essence, elite players were stronger than sub-elite players on isometric hip-adduction (mean difference [MD] = 0.82 Nm/kg, CI95% = 0.42-1.12) and abduction (MD = 0.83 Nm/kg, CI95% = 0.54- 1.12) both in dominant and non-dominant, leg, whereas no differences existed for hip adduction:abduction ratios between groups and legs. CONCLUSIONS: Elite female athletes exhibited greater strength than sub-elite female players in both hip adduction and abduction, whereas adduction:abduction ratio values did not differ between the two groups or between different legs.