Groin Pain in Footballers

Background: Groin pain and tenderness are common in athletes from a variety of codes of football, but little attention has been directed to the influence of magnetic resonance imaging and such clinical findings on athlete participation.

Hypothesis: Preseason groin pain, tenderness, and magnetic resonance imaging findings such as pubic bone marrow edema are associated with restricted training capacity and missed games.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: Fifty-two Australian footballers in the national competition were recruited. Preseason groin pain and focal tenderness were recorded, and magnetic resonance imaging of the groin was performed within 1 week of examination. Training restriction and games missed owing to groin pain were documented during the subsequent season.

Results: Magnetic resonance imaging showed pubic bone marrow edema in 19 of 52 (37%) footballers and linear parasymphyseal T2 hyperintensity in 16 of 52 (31%) footballers. Groin pain restricted training during the season in 22 of 52 (42%) footballers, and 9 of 52 (17%) footballers missed at least 1 game. Preseason pain (P = .0004), pubic bone tenderness (P = .02), and linear parasymphyseal T2 hyperintensity (P = .01) were associated with restricted training capacity during the subsequent season. Preseason groin pain (P = .03) was associated with missed games, but magnetic resonance imaging findings were not.

Conclusion: Preseason pubic bone marrow edema, groin pain, and linear parasymphyseal T2 hyperintensity were associated with training restriction, but only preseason groin pain was associated with missed games.