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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Feb 5;18(4):1528.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041528.

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  1 , Rodrigo Martín-Baeza  1 , Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

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 et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

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.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03617887.

Keywords: core; gluteus medius; isometric abdominal training; lumbo-pelvic stability; physiotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
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Figure 3
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