A systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of exercise therapy for groin pain in athletes

Table 6 Features of exercise interventions

Study	Features of exercise interventions
	Intervention			I	F	Duration
	Adequately described -could reproduce? Y/N	Summary	Method of progression			Time (mins)	Total weeks
Holmich et al. [23]	Y	1) Strengthening hip abductors/adductors (isometric and isokinetic).	Standardised progression of difficulty and resistance after 2 weeks	A	3	90	8–12
		2) Abdominal strengthening.
		3) Balance training.
McCarthy & Vicenzino [24]	N	1) Repetition of kicking and running movement patterns.	Once functional control was obtained	NR	1.4	NR	5
		2) Strengthening gluteus medius & transverse abdominus (isometric and isokinetic).
		3) Home muscle stretching program.
Rodriguez et al. [14]	N	1) Stretching exercises	When pain free	NR	NR	NR	3.8–10
		2) Strengthening hip abductors/adductors (isokinetic).
		3) Abdominal strengthening.
		4) Various running drills.
Wollin & Lovell [25]	N	1) Transverse abdominus muscle training.	1) When pain free	A	NR	NR	10–16
		2) Strengthening hip abductors/adductors, hip flexor and extensor muscles (isometric and isokinetic)	2) When bench-mark strength and function achieved
Verrall et al. [15]	N	1) 12 week rest period from running and weight-bearing activities.	When pain free	A	NR	5*	12 weeks
		2) Core stability program commencing between 3 and 6 weeks.
		3) 'Versa climber' stepping machine commencing at 6 weeks if pain free.

I = Intensity A: more than 3 sets of 10 repetitions or more than one minute of continuous work)
B: less than 3 sets of 10 repetitions or less than one minute of continuous work)
F = Frequency (sessions per week)
* = Increased by 1 minute per day
NR = not recorded

ISSN: 2052-1847