Hip muscle strength explains only 11% of the improvement in HAGOS with an intersegmental approach to successful rehabilitation of athletic groin pain.

Review written by Dr Stacey Hardin info

Key Points

  1. Athletes with athletic groin pain (AGP) had strength deficits in all motions (except internal rotation) compared to healthy athletes; however, after return to play, there was no difference in hip strength between the 2 groups despite having no adductor specific strengthening exercises prescribed.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Athletic groin pain (AGP) is common in all sports and at every competitive level. There are different approaches to rehabilitating these injuries including surgical and more commonly, non-surgical interventions. Traditionally, non-surgical interventions have focused on treatment directed at the involved painful structure(s) to decrease pain and increase tissue capacity. More recently, intersegmental rehabilitation programs have been explored, showing quicker return to play (RTP) timelines, decreased levels of self-reported pain, increased levels of self-reported function and improved change of direction performance compared to muscle strengthening specific treatment plans (1). The impact of an intersegmental approach on hip and lower limb strength is unknown.

The objectives of this study were to:

  1. Examine isometric hip strength, reactive strength, interlimb asymmetries in hip strength and reactive strength, and the Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) between athletes with baseline AGP and those without.

  2. Following an intersegmental rehabilitation program, to examine the relationship between change in HAGOS and change in hip strength.

  3. To track the HAGOS at 3 and 6 months post-RTP.

Traditionally, non-surgical interventions have focused on treatment directed at the involved painful structure(s) to decrease pain and increase tissue capacity.
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This brings into question the relative importance of muscle-specific strengthening in athletes with AGP and may suggest a greater role of other factors besides hip strength.

METHODS

42 male multidirectional field-based sport athletes who had been diagnosed with AGP, and 36 matched controls, completed baseline measures of 1) isometric hip strength, 2) lower limb reactive strength, and 3) the HAGOS.

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