Are sprint accelerations related to groin injuries? A biomechanical analysis of adolescent soccer players

Groin injuries have one of the highest incidences in soccer and can be career threatening, especially for adolescents, due to their high recurrence rate. Quick accelerations have been connected to groin injuries along with kicking and change of directions. Purpose of this study was to examine the hip joint kinematics, kinetics and the muscle forces of adductor longus and gracilis during first ground contact of a linear sprint acceleration performed by adolescent soccer players. Twenty-two male participants were investigated with 3D motion capture and two force plates. Inverse dynamics were used to calculate the kinematics, kinetics and muscle forces. The kinematics show a constant extension during the stance phase and a quick transition from an abduction to an adduction movement at 90% stance, which coincides with the highest forces in adductor longus and gracilis. This indicates a high load on the adductor muscles due to eccentric contractions combined with high muscle forces in the adductors. Compared to previously investigated inside passing and change of direction movements, adductor muscle forces and angular velocities are higher in this study. Therefore, it is suggested that sprint accelerations are likely to be connected to the development of groin injuries in adolescent soccer players.