title: Abnormal hip physical examination findings in asymptomatic female soccer athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examination of the hip provides information regarding risk for pre-arthritic hip disorders, knee injuries, and low back pain. The purpose of this study was to report a hip screening examination of asymptomatic female soccer athletes and to test the hypothesis that these findings vary by competition experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Asymptomatic females from a youth soccer club, a college, and a professional team were evaluated. Passive hip range of motion, hip abduction strength, and hip provocative tests were assessed. Data were compared for the grade/middle school, high school, college, and professional athletes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-two athletes with a mean age of 16.7 ± 5 years (range 10-30) participated. Professional athletes had less flexion (HF) for both hips (p < 0.0001) and less internal rotation (IR) for the preferred kicking leg (p < 0.05) compared to all other groups. Grade/middle school athletes had more external rotation in both hips as compared to all other groups (p < 0.0001). For the preferred kicking leg, collegiate athletes had less hip abduction strength as compared to other groups (p < 0.01). Positive provocative hip tests were found in 22 % of all players and 36 % of the professionals. In professionals, a positive provocative test was associated with ipsilateral decreased HF (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asymptomatic elite female soccer athletes with the most competition experience had less bilateral hip flexion and preferred kicking leg IR than less-experienced athletes. Positive provocative hip tests were found in 22 % of athletes. Future studies are needed to show whether these findings link to risk for intra-articular hip or lumbar spine and knee disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, One Barnes Plaza, Suite 11300, St. Louis, MO, 64110, USA, pratherh@wudosis.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prather
authors.forename: Devyani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rho
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yemm
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Brophy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000503:physiopathology*; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010808:Physical Examination; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012307:Risk Factors; D012399:Rotation; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult