TY - JOUR

T1 - Rapid Spike in Hip Adduction Strength in Early Adolescent Footballers

T2 - A Study of 125 Elite Male Players from Youth to Senior

AU - Light, Neil

AU - Thorborg, Kristian

AU - Krommes, Kasper

AU - Nielsen, Mathias F.

AU - Thornton, Kasper B.

AU - Hölmich, Per

AU - Penalver, Juan J.J.

AU - Ishoi, Lasse

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Human Kinetics Publishers Inc.. All rights reserved.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Purpose: To investigate the differences in hip adductor and abductor muscle strength in elite male footballers from youth to senior level. Methods: We tested 125 players from the under-13-years (U 13) to senior squads of a Danish male professional football club in this cross-sectional design study. Hip adductor and abductor force (in newtons), torque (in newton meters), normalized torque (in newton meters per body mass), and adduction-To-Abduction ratio were measured using handheld dynamometry. Results: Between U 13 and senior level, adductor force increased by 104%, torque by 127%, and normalized torque by 21%. Abductor force increased by 78%, torque by 126%, and normalized torque by 17%. For incremental differences between age groups, significant increases were observed between the ages ofU 13 toU 14 (18% 39%) andU 14 toU 15 (19% 33%) for all strength measures (P .021). No incremental difference was observed for adductor-To-Abductor ratio. Conclusions: The large increases in hip adductor and abductor strength occurring between the ages of U 13 andU 15 offer insight into the strength capabilities and stress demands in these players, which may relate to injury vulnerability, and facilitate clinicians in selecting best-suited exercise interventions.

AB - Purpose: To investigate the differences in hip adductor and abductor muscle strength in elite male footballers from youth to senior level. Methods: We tested 125 players from the under-13-years (U 13) to senior squads of a Danish male professional football club in this cross-sectional design study. Hip adductor and abductor force (in newtons), torque (in newton meters), normalized torque (in newton meters per body mass), and adduction-To-Abduction ratio were measured using handheld dynamometry. Results: Between U 13 and senior level, adductor force increased by 104%, torque by 127%, and normalized torque by 21%. Abductor force increased by 78%, torque by 126%, and normalized torque by 17%. For incremental differences between age groups, significant increases were observed between the ages ofU 13 toU 14 (18% 39%) andU 14 toU 15 (19% 33%) for all strength measures (P .021). No incremental difference was observed for adductor-To-Abductor ratio. Conclusions: The large increases in hip adductor and abductor strength occurring between the ages of U 13 andU 15 offer insight into the strength capabilities and stress demands in these players, which may relate to injury vulnerability, and facilitate clinicians in selecting best-suited exercise interventions.

KW - football

KW - hip and groin

KW - injury

KW - soccer

KW - sports medicine

U2 - 10.1123/ijspp.2022-0025

DO - 10.1123/ijspp.2022-0025

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35534012

AN - SCOPUS:85138443041

VL - 17

SP - 1407

EP - 1414

JO - International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

JF - International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

SN - 1555-0265

IS - 9

ER -