ALTERED HIP MUSCLES ACTIVATION DURING THE Y-BALANCE TEST IN INDIVIDUALS WITH GROIN PAIN

M.W. Lu¹, Y.-F. Shih¹, L.-W. Chou¹, T.-K. Cheng¹

¹National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

Background: Groin pain (GP) is a common injury in athletes requiring excessive hip mobility during sports, which may link to neuromuscular control deficit of the hip. However, the changes of hip neuromuscular control in individuals with GP during functional movement testing are not well understood.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the neuromuscular performance and hip muscle activation during the Y-balance test (YBT), a multiplanar dynamic balance test commonly used clinically to assess neuromuscular performance of lower extremities, in individuals with and without GP.

Methods: Fifteen people with GP and fifteen asymptomatic people as the control group (CG) were recruited. Maximum isometric muscle strength of hip abductors (Habd), hip adductors (Hadd), hip extensors (Hext), and lower abdominal muscles (LA) and hip mobility were measured. The testing movement was anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral of the YBT, during which electromyography (EMG) of the hip muscles was collected. Independent t-test was used for demographic data comparisons, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for comparing YBT scores and EMG amplitudes between groups, with the α level of 0.05.

Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in the demographic data, except for the Habd strength (GP: 0.29±0.06, CG: 0.23±0.08, p=0.044) and the hip flexion range (GP: 129.31±11.62, CG: 110.31±8.15, p=0.000). These factors were used as the covariance for consequent statistical analysis. The results of ANCOVA showed that the CG had a significantly higher peak EMG amplitude of Habd (p=0.038), peak EMG amplitude of ABD/ADD ratio (p=0.006) and mean EMG amplitude of Hext (p=0.042) than the GP group during anterior reaching of the YBT. Yet, the GP group had a significantly higher peak EMG amplitude of LA (p=0.023) than the CG during anterior reaching of the YBT. No group difference was found for YBT scores.

Conclusions: Findings of this study indicated that muscle recruitment patterns were altered in individuals with GP, especially during anterior reaching of the YBT, despite of a similar YBT performance between the 2 groups.It is unclear whether the changes in muscle activity patterns during the YBT precede or result from the symptoms of GP. Future prospective research is recommended to look into this question.

Implications: The data of this study showed that the muscle activation patterns might have been altered, even if the functional performances seemed unchanged. Clinicians should still look into these neuromuscular control deficits when assessing and treating people with GP.

Funding acknowledgements: This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Council, Taipei, Taiwan. [MOST111-2813-C-A49-085-H]

Keywords:
Groin pain
Neuromuscular control
Y-balance test

Topics:
Musculoskeletal: lower limb
Orthopaedics
Sport & sports injuries

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Institutional Review Board A of National Yang Ming Chia Tung University

Committee: National Yang Ming Chia Tung University

Ethics number: YM110027EF