Abstract
Groin injuries are one of the most prevalent in male soccer players, especially due to the hip adductor muscles’ weakness which is considered as a risk factor in these injuries. The Copenhagen adduction (CA) exercise has been demonstrated to increase the strength of adductor muscles, but its effects on the architectural characteristics of adductor muscles have not been studied yet. This study aimed to analyze the effects of the CA exercise on the muscle thickness of the adductors. Twelve male U-17 soccer players were randomized into two groups: the control group with no intervention and the experimental group with an intervention based on an eight-week training with CA exercise. The muscle thickness of adductors was measured before and after the intervention using ultrasound imaging. A significant increase in muscle thickness was found in both control (p = 0.002) and experimental group (p < 0.001), but the experimental group did not show additional effects in comparison with the control group. In conclusion, an 8-week CA exercise intervention does not increase the muscle thickness of adductors in U-17 soccer players more than their regular training.
Highlights
Soccer is a team sport with one of the highest injury rates [1] which is probably due to the frequent rotation and cutting movements [1,2]
Considering the importance of the adductor muscles in the soccer practice and the high injury rate in this area, this study aimed to analyze the effects of an 8-week training with Copenhagen adduction (CA) exercise on the architectural characteristics of adductor muscles, in youth soccer players (U-17), measured by ultrasound imaging
Twelve youth male soccer players from the same U-17 regional soccer team were voluntarily recruited for this study
Summary
Soccer is a team sport with one of the highest injury rates [1] which is probably due to the frequent rotation and cutting movements [1,2] In this sense, groin injuries represent in male soccer players one of the most prevalent, accounting for 7% to 13% of all time-loss injuries [2], with an incidence between 0.2 and 2.1/1000 h [2]. A decreased level of hip adductor strength may entail reductions in muscle capacity, asymmetries, and imbalances between hip adductor and abductor muscles, and an increase in injury risk during side-to-side cutting movements, changes of directions, or quick accelerations or decelerations [10,11] All of these situations are widely prevalent in soccer, both in training and matches. Exercise interventions to improve hip muscle strength seem to be important concerning prevention strategies, in youth soccer players, trying to prevent groin problems in the future [6,12]
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