Development of a Certified Testing Procedure for Hip and Groin Injuries in Athletes

April 6, 2026 updated by: Anna Pisz, Charles University, Czech Republic

Development Of A Certified Testing Procedure For Hip And Groin Injuries In Athletes

Hip and groin injuries affect approximately 21% of professional athletes annually, causing significant time loss. As roughly 48% of these cases result from non-contact mechanisms, they are potentially preventable through optimized diagnostic screening. Evidence strongly links restricted hip range of motion (ROM) and strength deficits to an increased injury risk. This project aims to (1) develop a rigorously validated diagnostic testing procedure by comparing different joint positions, movement velocities, and muscle contractions to establish a preventive "gold standard" screening battery. dditionally, (2) pilot targeted prevention interventions over a competitive season. Using a crossover design, the research evaluates three protocols: Strength-focused,Flexibility-focused:and control group. (3) Implement of a Centralized Injury Reporting System. Combining comprehensive diagnostic screening with these practical interventions will yield a powerful tool for clinicians and coaches to effectively reduce the incidence and burden of non-contact hip and groin injuries

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
170

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female competitive team sports.
  • Registered members of participating team sports.
  • Age 14 to 20 years.
  • Participation in regular team training and competition during the study period.
  • Medically cleared for full participation in training and match play at study entry.
  • Willing and able to complete preseason testing and the assigned intervention program.
  • Provided written informed consent. For participants younger than 18 years, parent or legal guardian consent will also be obtained.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current hip or groin injury causing time loss or restricting full participation in training or competition at baseline.
  • Lower extremity or lumbar spine injury at baseline that limits safe participation in testing or intervention exercises.
  • Surgery involving the hip, groin, pelvis, lumbar spine, or lower extremity within the previous 6 months.
  • Any neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or other medical condition that would contraindicate participation in the intervention or testing procedures.
  • Inability to complete baseline assessments.
  • Planned absence during a substantial part of the preseason intervention period or competitive season.
  • Noncompliance with study procedures or refusal to provide consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Screening
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Strength-focused
Emphasizing specific joint stabilization and eccentric load tolerance, heavily utilizing the Copenhagen Adductor Exercise.
Other: Strength-focused
Emphasizing specific joint stabilization and eccentric load tolerance, heavily utilizing the Copenhagen Adductor Exercise.
Experimental: Flexibility-focused:
Targeting functional hip ROM through stretching and dynamic mobility under load.
Other: Flexibility-focused
Targeting functional hip ROM through stretching and dynamic mobility under load.
No Intervention: Control
Maintaining standard club warm-up and training regimens.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hip and Groin Injury Incidence During the Competitive Season
Time Frame: Through the competitive season, up to 9 months
The number of new hip and groin injuries occurring during the monitored competitive season among athletes participating in the different preseason intervention programs. Injury incidence will be recorded by team medical staff and expressed as the number of injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures.
Through the competitive season, up to 9 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hip and Groin Injury Severity
Time Frame: Through the competitive season, up to 9 months
Severity of hip and groin injuries assessed as the number of days lost from training or competition following injury.
Through the competitive season, up to 9 months
Hip and Groin Injury Burden
Time Frame: Through the competitive season, up to 9 months
Overall injury burden calculated as the product of injury incidence and injury severity across the study period.
Through the competitive season, up to 9 months
Change in Hip Range of Motion (ROM)
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1, preseason screening) and 8 weeks (end of preseason intervention)
Passive hip range of motion assessed using standardized clinical ROM testing (Bent Knee Fall-Out test and passive hip flexion/abduction assessments) with a digital inclinometer.
Baseline (Day 1, preseason screening) and 8 weeks (end of preseason intervention)
Functional Lower Limb Performance
Time Frame: Baseline (preseason) and post-intervention (end of preseason)
Functional performance of the lower extremity assessed through a standardized testing battery evaluating strength, mobility, and sport-specific functional performance.
Baseline (preseason) and post-intervention (end of preseason)
Hip Adduction and Abduction Strength
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1, preseason screening) and 8 weeks (end of preseason intervention)
Hip adduction and abduction peak torque measured using isokinetic dynamometry (Humac Norm or Biodex system) during concentric and eccentric contractions at standardized angular velocities (30°/s, 120°/s).
Baseline (Day 1, preseason screening) and 8 weeks (end of preseason intervention)
Isometric Hip Strength
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1, preseason screening) and 8 weeks (end of preseason intervention)
Isometric hip adduction strength measured using hand-held dynamometry (HHD) squeeze tests and fixed dynamometry systems such as ForceFrame/GroinBar at joint angles of 0°, 25°, and 50° hip abduction.
Baseline (Day 1, preseason screening) and 8 weeks (end of preseason intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Charles University, Czech Republic

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2031

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 6, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • PRIMUS008

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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