Effects of Copenhagen adduction exercise on muscle architecture and adductor flexibility

Review written by Dr Teddy Willsey info

Key Points

  1. The Copenhagen adduction exercise (CAE) has grown in popularity in recent years due to its ease of implementation.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Groin injuries are commonplace in sports that involve rapid change of direction, acceleration, and deceleration, with a particularly high incidence being reported in ice hockey and soccer (1). Decreased adductor strength and history of groin injury have been indicated as prevailing factors related to groin injury (2).

The Copenhagen adduction exercise (CAE) has grown in popularity in recent years due to its ease of implementation. Additionally, there has been an increased focus in the sports community on strengthening for injury reduction.

The CAE has been shown to contribute to injury reduction, although the mechanism by which this occurs continues to be explored (3). It is thought that the CAE improves adductor strength, however its effect on adductor flexibility has yet to be thoroughly studied. Moreover, the lasting effect of the CAE on adductor muscle architecture following a period of detraining remains unknown as well.

The authors of this study sought to describe the impact on the muscular architecture and flexibility of the adductor musculature after 8-weeks of CAE-based training and after 4-weeks of subsequent detraining in healthy physically active individuals.

Decreased adductor strength and history of groin injury have been indicated as prevailing factors related to groin injury.
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The initial 4-week adaptation period to this exercise should take place prior to pre-season, to mitigate soreness and workload spikes.

METHODS

  • 45 male recreational exercisers (mean age = 26) were randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. Both groups had hip abduction range of motion (ROM) and adductor longus muscle belly thickness (MT) measured via goniometry and ultrasound at 0,
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