Attitudes and beliefs regarding the “Adductor Strengthening Programme” among injury prevention delivery agents in Norwegian male elite football teams: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Groin injuries are common in male elite football representing a considerable problem affecting both players and teams. As a response to a call for action, the “Adductor Strengthening Programme” has been shown to substantially reduce the prevalence and risk of groin problems in male football players. The programme is therefore recommended to be implemented as part of football training. However, a kay factor to achieve successful implementation in the real-world football context is to understand the implementation context. The two aims of this project are therefore to investigate delivery agents’ attitudes and beliefs regarding the “Adductor Strengthening Programme” using the RE-AIM framework and, to define a suggestion for a “best practice” application of the programme.

Method: This master project is a descriptive cross-sectional study surveying 29 primary delivery agents in Norwegian male elite football teams. A questionnaire with questions about attitudes towards and beliefs about the “Adductor Strengthening Programme”, and how players perform this programme, was completed during the 2020 season.

Results: All delivery agents were aware of the “Adductor Strengthening Programme”, all believed the programme can mitigate the burden of groin problems, 90% believed the programme can enhance football performance, and all stated to use the programme in their team but only 10% did so in accordance with the programme protocol. The programme is in most teams delivered so that the players perform fewer repetitions in each set but with a higher number of sets than in the evidence based programme protocol. 97% anticipated to use the programme in their team in the following season. The programmes injury prevention effect and that the programme does not require exercise equipment was stated as the two most important reasons for choosing to use the programme both during the current season and in the following season.

Conclusion: This master project has highlighted that delivery agents have a positive attitude towards the “Adductor Strengthening Programme”, which is widely adopted and anticipated to be maintained in Norwegian male elite football teams. We have also suggested a best practice application of “Adductor Strengthening Programme”, which could be recommended to be implemented as part of football teams training regime.