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The place of the transversus abdominis muscle in the rehabilitation and physical preparation of footballers

Especially with footballers, the transversus abdominis muscle can be a great ally.

The place of the transversus abdominis muscle in the rehabilitation and physical preparation of footballers

Especially with footballers, the transversus abdominis muscle can be a great ally.

Indeed, often required to perform strikes, sprints, or even changes of direction, the footballer uses a lot of his abdominal muscles. And the transversus abdominis muscle remains the deepest of all.

This stabilizer muscle of the trunk plays a key role in balancing the body in motion. In fact, it will help stabilizing a joint when another is in action.

Take the example of a footballer in full swing. For his shot to be as adjusted as possible, it is essential for him to have a certain stability while maintaining good mobility. And this is the whole point of integrating muscle strengthening of the transversus abdominis into your physical preparation protocols. It will not only allow him to strengthen his back and have a better posture, but even more, it will stabilize his center of gravity. In addition, the athlete will increase his ability to maintain stability following a disturbance in his balance, while maximizing the force transmitted in the desired movement.

In addition, strengthening your transversus abdominis muscle also means preventing certain pathologies such as groin pain.

Is groin pain the scourge of footballers?

First of all, what is groin pain?

This is a syndrome affecting the pelvic area, an area considered to be an anatomical crossroads. In fact, many muscles and tendons are connected to this part of our body. And this is what makes the diagnosis and management of groin pain so complex: it manifests itself in different forms and can be of different origins. To learn more about groin pain: New Evidence: Groin Pain - which protocol(s) to apply? (in French)

Indeed, groin pain is in most cases detected in athletes. Why ? Quite simply because they are more likely to overwork their body for the intensive training and competitions that govern their daily lives. Today, 10 to 20% of the athletic workforce suffers from groin pain over a season.

If football professionals are the main target, it is especially because they play a sport that promotes the accumulation and repetition of micro-trauma, factors in the development of these inflammations in the pelvic region. Accelerations, decelerations, support on a single limb, strikes and tackles: these are all these technical gestures, soliciting and mobilizing the adductors and abdominal muscles, which cause and provoke groin pain.

The transversus abdominis muscle in the fight against groin pain?

How to prevent this?

Prevention begins with regular muscle building, stretching and warming up. This process will help to balance the demands of all members, in order to avoid overcompensation and overwork.

If the prevention and treatment of groin pain goes through rebalancing the body and its muscular forces, it is essential and essential to integrate the strengthening of the transversus abdominis muscle into its physical preparation. As mentioned earlier, it has a major role in stabilizing the spine and transferring forces between the upper and lower limbs.

As the rate of recurrence of groin pain can reach 44% in team sports such as football, it is essential to adopt a prevention and management approach that integrates the maintenance as well as the strengthening of the abdominal muscles. And more precisely, the strengthening of the transversus abdominis muscle.

And why use the Blueback Physio?

Blueback Physio has demonstrated to patients with groin pain that working on strengthening the transversus abdominis muscle can reduce pain. Thanks to this tool for measuring deep muscle activity, and the visual feedback, the athlete will be able to directly see the activity of his transverse. And to understand it is to master it.

Indeed, although athletes have a strong awareness and knowledge of the human body, they can mainly activate the rectus abdominis during muscle building exercises. This may be due to the instructions given, or it may simply be a matter of habit.

The Blueback Physio thus allows athletes to better assimilate the movement, and consequently to gain in quality and efficiency during the exercises. This awareness of the contraction of the transverse will subsequently result in automation and autonomy in the rehabilitation of all!

Check out some nice scientific references on Groin Pain:

[1] Krommes K, Bandholm T, Jakobsen MD, et al. Dynamic hip adduction, abduction and abdominal exercises from the holmich groin-injury prevention program are intense enough to be considered strengthening exercises - a cross-sectional study. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2017;12(3):371-380.

[2] Elattar O, Choi HR, Dills VD, et al. Groin Injuries (Athletic Pubalgia) and Return to Play. Sports Health. 2016;8(4):313-323. doi:10.1177/1941738116653711

[3] http://www.pubalgie.com/definition-de-la-pubalgie/

[4] Bouvard M, Lippa A, Reboul G, et al. La pubalgie du sportif. Journal de Traumatologie du Sport. 2012 ;29(2):105-128. ISSN 0762-915X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jts.2012.05.001.

[5] Weir A, Brukner P, Delahunt E, et al. Doha agreement meeting on terminology and definitions in groin pain in athletes. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(12):768-774. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-094869

[6] Taylor R, Vuckovic Z, Mosler A, et al. Multidisciplinary Assessment of 100 Athletes With Groin Pain Using the Doha Agreement: High Prevalence of Adductor-Related Groin Pain in Conjunction With Multiple Causes. Clin J Sport Med. 2018 Jul;28(4):364-369. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000469. PMID: 28654441

[7] Dimitrakopoulou A, Schilders E. Current concepts of inguinal-related and adductor-related groin pain. Hip Int. 2016;26 Suppl 1:2-7. doi:10.5301/hipint.5000403

[8] Schilders E, Bismil Q, Hons, et al. Adductor-Related Groin Pain in Competitive Athletes, JBJS. 2007 Oct;89(10):2173-2178. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.F.00567

[9] Whittaker JL, Small C, Maffey L, Emery CA. Risk factors for groin injury in sport: an updated systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(12):803-809. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2014-094287

[10] Hölmich P, Uhrskou P, Ulnits L, et al. Effectiveness of active physical training as treatment for long-standing adductor-related groin pain in athletes: randomised trial. Lancet. 1999;353(9151):439- 443. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(98)03340-6

[11] Serner A, Weir A, Tol JL, et al. Return to Sport After Criteria-Based Rehabilitation of Acute Adductor Injuries in Male Athletes: A Prospective Cohort Study. Orthop J Sports Med. 2020;8(1):2325967119897247. Published 2020 Jan 29. doi:10.1177/2325967119897247

[12] Weir A, Veger SA, Van de Sande HB, Bakker EW, de Jonge S, Tol JL. A manual therapy technique for chronic adductor-related groin pain in athletes: a case series. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2009;19(5):616- 620. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00841.x

[13] M. Bouvard, P. Dorochenko, P. Lanusse, H. Duraffour, La pubalgie du sportif — stratégie thérapeutique, Volume 900, Issue 3, 09/2004, Pages 131-192, ISSN 0762-915X, http://dx.doi.org/ JTS-09-2004-21-3-0762-915X-101019-ART03

[14] Davies AG, Clarke AW, Gilmore J, Wotherspoon M, Connell DA. Review: imaging of groin pain in the athlete. Skeletal Radiol. 2010;39(7):629-644. doi:10.1007/s00256-009-0768-9 8 PREUVE à L’APPUI - N°4 Mars 2021

[15] Mosler AB, Agricola R, Weir A, Hölmich P, Crossley KM. Which factors differentiate athletes with hip/groin pain from those without? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(12):810. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-094602

[16] Jansen J, Weir A, Dénis R, Mens J, Backx F, Stam H. Resting thickness of transversus abdominis is decreased in athletes with longstanding adduction-related groin pain. Man Ther. 2010;15(2):200- 205. doi:10.1016/j.math.2009.11.001

[17] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frGiXewpLCE

[18] Foster C, Daines E, Hector L, Snyder AC, Welsh R. Ath- letic performance in relation to training load. Wis Med J 1996;95:370—4.

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