REF-1021 · Ishøi et al., 2016 · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, · Paper · PubMed
Eight weeks of progressive Copenhagen adduction training raised eccentric hip-adduction strength by 35.7% in young footballers, with little muscle soreness
Key Findings
Eccentric hip adduction strength rose 35.7% after 8 weeks of progressive Copenhagen adduction training, with no change in controls.
Two U-19 sub-elite football teams (24 players) randomized to an 8-week supervised progressive programme added to usual training, or to usual training.
Intervention group: eccentric hip adduction strength +35.7% (P < 0.001), eccentric hip abduction +20.3% (P = 0.003), adduction to abduction ratio +12.3% (P = 0.019).
No significant within-group change in controls.
Compliance 91.25%; median muscle soreness ranged from 0 to 2.
Practical Application
The exercise builds adductor strength quickly and is well tolerated in season: it can be added without a recovery cost that threatens the next session.
Start with an easier level and progress — an uncontrolled study in professionals (Polglass 2019, DOI 10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000570) went from 2 sets of 6 isometric 20-second holds to 3 sets of 10 full repetitions over 8 weeks at two sessions a week, moving up only when soreness after a session stayed low.
Limitations
Small, young footballers; no injury outcome; group sizes and the weekly dose are not in the abstract (abstract only was read).