Are Pain and Strength During Adductor Squeeze Testing Associated With On-Pitch Football Performance and Pain in Male and Female Academy Players?-A Nine-Week Longitudinal Explorative Study.

Groin pain and adductor strength from the Copenhagen five-second squeeze test (5SST-Pain and 5SST-Strength) are used as clinical indicators of self-reported groin function, but their relation to on-pitch football performance and pain during football is unclear. This explorative longitudinal study aimed to examine the associations of 5SST-Pain and 5SST-Strength with (1) self-reported on-pitch performance, (2) groin pain during football, and (3) hip and groin sporting function. Academy football players (males: n = 69, 16.2 ± 1.5 years old; females: n = 45, 15.4 ± 1.1 years old) participated in a nine-week in-season study. Weekly measures of 5SST-Pain (0-10 NRS), 5SST-Strength (N/kg), and perceived on-pitch performance deficits and groin pain during football using the Oslo Overuse Questionnaire (OSTRC-O2 Performance and Pain domains) were collected. The Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score-Sport (HAGOS-Sport) was collected every second week. Associations between 5SST-Pain and 5SST-Strength with (1) OSTRC-O2 Performance, (2) OSTRC-O2 Pain, and (3) HAGOS-Sport were examined. Associations from 621 5SST observations showed that a one-unit increase in 5SST-Pain increased the probability (odds ratio; OR) in males and females, respectively, of reporting on-pitch performance deficits (OR [95% CI]: 2.32 [1.77; 3.02] and 2.31 [1.71; 3.11]), groin pain during football (OR [95% CI]: 2.69 [2.00; 3.62] and 2.34 [1.77; 3.09]), and lower sporting function (β-coefficient [95% CI]: -4.6 [-8.4; -0.8] and -2.8 [-4.5; -1.0]). In males, a one-unit increase in 5SST-Strength lowered the probability of on-pitch groin pain (0.54 [0.30; 0.98]). 5SST-Pain could be used as a screening tool for perceived on-pitch performance, pain, and sporting function in both male and female academy players.