Comparison of hip abductor and adductor muscle performance between healthy and osteitis pubis professional footballers.

Objective: The study aimed to compare the concentric and eccentric muscle performance of the hip abductor and adductor muscles at a high angular velocity in football players with osteitis pubis and healthy players.

Methods: A total number of 32 male football players with osteitis pubis and 20 healthy footballers were tested using an isokinetic dynamometer at a speed of 180°/s. Hip abductor and adductor peak torque/body weight, time to peak torque, acceleration, and deceleration times produced during concentric and eccentric muscle contraction modes were measured using a Biodex dynamometer.

Results: Football players with osteitis pubis demonstrated a significantly higher time to peak torque, acceleration, and deceleration times (p < 0.05); however, when compared to healthy athletes, there was no significant change in muscle strength.

Conclusion: The present study showed that football players with osteitis pubis had a reduction in neuromuscular reaction. Therefore, the reaction time of these muscles is critical, and the reduction could result in magnified stresses and/or poorly distributed loads across the musculotendinous structure of the anterior pelvis, which presumably could lead to the development of osteitis pubis. Incorporate findings of the current study in clinical practice could afford critical information when evaluating the hip muscles in football players with osteitis pubis, for pre-screening, enhancing the rehabilitation programs, and guiding the decision of returning to sports after injury.