Intra and inter-tester reliability of a novel device to assess gluteal muscle strength in professional football players

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to investigate inter-tester and intra-tester reliability of a novel clam test (CLAMT) for the measurement of gluteal muscle strength and to detect possible differences between CLAMT values in football players with and without a history of groin injuries. Twenty male football players participated in the test-retest and sixty-two male professional football players participated in the case–control study. Hip abductor maximal muscle strength was evaluated either using CLAMT or in a supine position with the hip in a neutral pose. For CLAMT, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for inter-tester-intra-day reliability was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.60–0.90), with a standard error of measurement of 34.2 N. The intra-tester-intra-day ICC was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.87–0.95), with a standard error of measurement of 23.6 N. The inter-week ICC was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92–0.98), with a standard error of measurement of 18.9 N. CLAMT showed lower (but not significant) strength values in football players with a history of groin injuries to non-injured players. CLAMT showed good to excellent levels of reliability, intraday and inter-week, with low standard errors of measurement while it was effective (possible) to identify residual weakness in players with previous groin injuries.

KEYWORDS:

• Risk factor
• a
• groin injury
• hip abduction
• soccer
• athlete

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to football players who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.