Effectiveness of Abdominal and Gluteus Medius Training in Lumbo-Pelvic Stability and Adductor Strength in Female Soccer Players. A Randomized Controlled Study

Héctor Guerrero-Tapia, Rodrigo Martín-Baeza and Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso
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Héctor Guerrero-Tapia: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Sport Sciences, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
Rodrigo Martín-Baeza: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Sport Sciences, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Sport Sciences, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Background. Abdominal and lumbo-pelvic stability alterations may be the origin of lower limb injuries, such as adductor pathology in soccer players. Imbalance can be caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial over 8 weeks, 25 female footballers were randomly allocated to an experimental group (isometric abdominal training and gluteus medius-specific training) or a control group (isometric abdominal training). Evaluations were performed at baseline, at the end of the intervention and after a 4-week follow-up period. The exercise protocol in common for both groups included three exercises: Plank, Lateral plank and Bird dog. Specific exercises for the gluteus medius were: Pelvic drop and Stabilization of the gluteus medius in knee valgus. Outcome measures were lumbar-pelvic stability and adductor strength. Results: After the intervention, there was an increase in lumbo-pelvic stability in both groups, being greater in the control group than in the experimental group (mean differences [MD]: 4.84 vs. MD: 9.58; p < 0.01) with differences in the analysis of repeated measures ( p < 0.001), but not in group interaction ( p = 0.26). Changes were found in adductor strength in the experimental group (MD: ?2.48; p < 0.001 in the left adductor; MD: ?1.48; p < 0.01 in right adductor) and control group (MD: ?1.68; p < 0.001 in the left adductor; MD: ?2.05; p < 0.001 in the right adductor) after the intervention, with differences in the analysis of repeated measures in left ( p < 0.001) and right ( p < 0.001) adductor strength. Conclusions: An abdominal and gluteal training protocol shows no advantage over a protocol of abdominal training alone for lumbo-pelvic stability and adductor strength, while improvements in both variables are maintained at four weeks follow-up.

Keywords: core; isometric abdominal training; gluteus medius; lumbo-pelvic stability; physiotherapy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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