2Clinic of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Çine State Hospital, Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Aydın, Türkiye
3Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Health Sciences, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Türkiye
Abstract
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).
Conclusions: 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