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.