Feasibility and Acceptability of a 12-Week Advanced Hip-Focused Exercise Intervention Program for Female Athletes

Purpose
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and patellofemoral pain (PFP) continue to show high incidence rates, and poor long term outcomes. Key exercise elements were synthesized into an advanced hip focused exercise strategy and were administered to a sample of female athletes. This study examined the feasibility and impact of a 12-week advanced hip muscle strengthening program on physical performance measures and peak hip muscle torques.

Methods
Thirteen female Division 1 collegiate volleyball players attended twelve twice-a-week advanced hip strengthening sessions. Outcome measures included subjective questionnaires of stakeholders, vertical, blocking and approach jumps, and peak isometric concentric and eccentric torque of hip muscles.

Results
Thirteen female athlete participants attended all 24 exercise sessions over the 12-week period, without adverse events, and all 13 participants responded favorably to the 35 question questionnaire, with all participants exceeding the a priori level of > 3/5 for perceived value of the intervention strategy. The mean jump scores increased across all three jumps (approach, vertical, blocking) with moderate to large effects noted. Hip extension peak torque increased bilaterally.

Conclusions
The intervention paradigm presented could impact key variables of interest in an athletic population regarding both potential for injury reduction and improved athletic performance.