Relationships of hip abductor strength, neuromuscular control, and hip width to femoral length ratio with peak hip adduction angle in healthy female runners

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences Vol. 38; no. 20; pp. 2291 - 2297
• Main Authors: Brindle, Richard A., Ebaugh, D. David, Willson, John D., Finley, Margaret A., Shewokis, Patricia A., Milner, Clare E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 17.10.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: eccentric; Femur; Fitts' law; Hip; kinematics; Muscle strength; Neuromuscular system; pelvis width; Risk factors; Running
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2020.1779489

A large peak hip adduction angle during running is a risk factor for several overuse injuries in women. The purpose of this study was to determine if female runners with a large peak hip adduction angle have differences in eccentric hip abductor muscle strength, hip neuromuscular control, and/or hip width to femoral length ratio (HW:FL) compared to those with a small angle. Hip adduction during running, hip strength, hip control, and HW:FL were measured in sixty healthy female runners (1.66 ± 0.06 m; 63.2 ± 8.3 kg; 27 ± 6 years). Data from twenty runners with the largest and twenty with the smallest peak hip adduction angles were analysed. Between-group differences in hip strength, control, and HW:FL were determined using independent t-tests (p < 0.05). Variables that were significantly different between groups were entered into a regression model. Runners in both groups had similar hip strength (p = 0.90) and control (p = 0.65). HW:FL was greater in the large peak angle group (p = 0.04), but only explained a small amount of peak hip adduction angle variance for all sixty runners (R 2  = 0.05). Alarge peak hip adduction angle in some healthy female runners may simply be instinctive as there were no deficiencies in the strength or neuromuscular control constructs assessed.