Abstract / Summary
# Background Groin strains are common noncontact injuries in women’s collegiate hockey, and hip strength and the ADD:ABD ratio are commonly considered in groin-injury prevention and strength-monitoring programs. Female-specific longitudinal data on seasonal hip strength and practical guidance for repeated team-based testing are limited.
# Purpose To characterize changes in isokinetic hip adduction and abduction strength and the isometric adductor-to-abductor (ADD:ABD) ratio in NCAA Division I women’s hockey players over more than two seasons. Secondary purposes were to examine between-limb differences and describe practical considerations for repeated team-based testing.
# Study Design Cohort study
# Methods Forty-six NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey athletes from a single program voluntarily participated in longitudinal testing at five time points spanning two competitive seasons and the subsequent pre-season (S1-Pre, S1-Post, S2-Pre, S2-Post, S3-Pre). After collecting demographic information via survey, body-mass-normalized hip adduction and abduction peak torque (Nm·kg⁻¹) was assessed bilaterally in standing with an isokinetic dynamometer at 90°·s⁻¹ and 120°·s⁻¹. Isometric peak torque was collected using the same dynamometer and used to calculate the ADD:ABD ratio. Leg dominance was self-reported. Linear mixed-effects models (random intercept for athlete) tested effects of time point and side; speed was retained for isokinetic outcomes to evaluate higher-order interactions.
# Results Isokinetic hip adduction (F(4,419)=30.45, p < 0.001) and abduction strength (F(4,420)=24.07, p < 0.001) varied across time points, with no main effects of side and no significant interactions among time point, speed, and side. Variation in isokinetic adductor and abductor strength included decreases during both off-seasons (S1-Post to S2-Pre and S2-Post to S3-Pre), while in-season strength decreased in the first season and increased in the second. The isometric ADD:ABD ratio showed effects of time point (F(4,208.19)=3.37, p = 0.01) and side (F(1,172.40)=5.54, p = 0.02), with slightly higher ratios in the dominant limb. One prioritized seasonal contrast for the ADD:ABD ratio was significant (S1-Post to S2-Pre).
# Conclusion Isokinetic hip adduction and abduction strength decreased during both off-seasons and changed inconsistently in-season. The isometric ADD:ABD ratio was slightly higher in the dominant limb and varied less across time, with only one prioritized seasonal contrast reaching significance.