Preventive Treatment of Groin Pain in Football

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Groin pain represents a common issue in football. Currently, there are no prevention protocols demonstrating real effectiveness. We aimed to investigate the possible positive effect of a prevention program for groin pain.Forty-two élite male athletes belonging to a youth academy of a professional football club were recruited in this prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind, study.

Official Title
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Preventive Treatment of Groin Pain Syndrome in élite Young Football Player: a Pilot Study

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: preventive treatment group


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: subjects between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, belonging to the youth sector of a professional club. Exclusion Criteria: Presence of pain or injuries at the level of the hip-hip region at the initial assessment.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 16 Years
Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: preventive treatment group<br> | Other: preventive treatment group<br>* each athlete belonging to the preventive treatment group performed the protocol of preventive treatment 2 times a week, before or after the training session for five months<br>|
| No Intervention: control group<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Strength in the adductors | The strength was evaluated in Newton during maximal voluntary isometric contraction used a dynamometer (Activforce 2) | One day before the start of the physical protocol and one day after the end of the physical protocol | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pain in the hip joint | The pain was rated using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) (0-10; 0 represents no pain and 10 represents maximum pain) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (Copenhagen five-second squeeze test). | One day before the start of the physical protocol and one day after the end of the physical protocol | 
| Groin pain | The pain was rated using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) (0-10; 0 represents no pain and 10 represents maximum pain) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (Copenhagen five-second squeeze test). | One day before the start of the physical protocol and one day after the end of the physical protocol | 
| Range of motion (ROM) of the hip joint | ROM was assessed using the distance (cm) from the head of the fibula to the edge of the bed (Bent Knee Fall Out Test) | One day before the start of the physical protocol and one day after the end of the physical protocol | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Groin injuries, soccer, athletes, pain, muscle strength