Citation

Emery CA. Clin. J. Sport. Med. 2012; 22(1): 75-77.

Affiliation

University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/01.jsm.0000410963.91346.cd

PMID

22228291

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for groin injury among subelite adult male soccer players. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Community study in 2004 of Norwegian first, second, and third division men's amateur soccer teams in the Oslo area. PARTICIPANTS: The study included the same 31 teams (508 players) as the study of hamstring injuries, above. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS: Preseason clinical testing using the protocol of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association was done by sports physical therapists and physicians without knowledge of the player's history of injuries. The examination of the left and right legs included assessment of hip flexibility and range of motion, pain on external rotation of the hip joint, pain on functional testing of the rectal abdominal muscles, and strength of the adductor and iliopsoas muscles. Uninjured players completed 3 countermovement jumps (squat and then jump as high as possible) and 2 sprint tests (40 m). Players completed questionnaires that recorded information on age, height, and weight; playing history; and history of previous groin injuries. They also completed a modified Groin Outcome Score (GrOS) that included groin symptoms, pain, soreness, function in sports, and quality of life. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was the association of measured risk factors with any acute or overuse inside thigh/groin area injury that occurred as a result of play during a soccer match or training and that forced the player to miss full participation in future training or match play. Injury reporting was done by a team physiotherapist. Groin injuries were classified as such by 2 investigators blinded to risk factor information. Overuse injuries that caused continuing pain but not time loss were also included. Coaches recorded attendance at training and minutes of match participation. MAIN RESULTS: The incidence of groin injuries per 1000 playing hours was 0.6, 1.8 during matches and 0.3 during training, for a total of 61 groin injuries equally divided between the left and right sides and affecting 55 legs and 51 players (10.0%). Seven players sustained ≥2 groin injuries. There were 22 acute and 39 overuse injuries. In univariate analysis, previous acute groin injury, GrOS, pain and reduced range of motion on clinical tests, weak adductor and iliopsoas muscles, older age, and poorer performance on the counter-jump test were associated with groin injury (P < 0.10). Multivariate logistic regression showed that previous acute groin injury (AOR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.10-6.11) and weak adductor muscles (AOR, 4.28; 95% CI, 1.31-14.0) predicted groin injuries. Multivariate analysis of the 22 acute injuries showed that a faster time on the 40-m sprint test (AOR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.06-3.88) and pain on functional testing of the rectal abdominal muscles (AOR, 15.5; 95% CI, 1.11-217) were associated with injury. CONCLUSIONS: Subelite adult male soccer players with a history of acute groin injury were twice as likely to sustain a new groin injury, and players with weak adductor muscles had a 4 times higher risk of injury. Players with faster sprint times had a higher risk of acute groin injury.

Language: en