Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of exercise-based therapy, corticosteroid injection, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in football players with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed adductor-related groin pain.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 111 male football players diagnosed with adductor lesions on MRI. Patients were categorized into three treatment groups: exercise therapy alone (n=73), corticosteroid injection plus exercise (n=18), and PRP injection plus exercise (n=20). Injections were administered into the adductor peritendinous and pubic symphysis regions. The Hip Outcome Score–Sport Subscale (HOS–Sport) and return to sport (RTS) status were assessed at final follow-up. Statistical comparisons were performed using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, or chi-square tests, with p<0.05 considered significant.
Results: The mean age, height, weight, and symptom duration did not differ significantly among the groups (p>0.05). Most patients had chronic lesions, with no significant difference in lesion type distribution (p=0.288). The mean follow-up duration and HOS–Sport scores were similar across groups (p=0.107 and p=0.821, respectively). RTS rates were 89.0% in the exercise group, 88.9% in the corticosteroid group, and 85.0% in the PRP group, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.880).
Conclusion: All three treatment modalities yielded comparable outcomes in terms of function and RTS. Exercise-based therapy alone appears to be equally effective as corticosteroid or PRP injections in managing adductor-related groin pain in football players. Given its non-invasive nature and cost-effectiveness, structured exercise therapy should be considered the first-line conservative treatment approach