Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of low load isometric adductor squeezes on proximal adductor longus tendon pressure pain threshold (PPT).
Design: Exploratory research design
Method: Five healthy and active participants with no history of groin pain were included. Adductor squeeze maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was recorded, twice at least 24hours apart, with the use of a sphygmomanometer, in order to assess relative reliabilty. PPT was recorded, with the
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probe being placed onto adductor longus proximal tendon. 30% of the individual’s MVC was the target contraction zone for six lots of 10 seconds isometric holds. PPT was retested, post isometric contractions.
Results: sphygmomanometer yielded moderate intra-ratter correlation coefficient (ICC), with a wide range in confidence interval (IC), (ICC=0.896, 0.31 – 0.99 CI). Differences in PPT displayed a non-significant decrease (p>0.05). Mean differences between dominate and non-dominate also produced non-significant results (p>0.05).
Conclusions: Despite non-significant results there is still an indication of an increase within muscle tendon sensitivity. These findings suggest utilising low load isometrics for early rehabilitation and as an activation tool.
Introduction
Hip and groin injuries have a high prevalence within the athletic population, in particular football players. 14% of time-loss injuries are hip and groin injuries, with 63% being adductor related injuries.1 Doha consensus categorises athletic population groin injuries into classifications. These