Derek Salvador

A new randomized controlled trial examined whether adding the Copenhagen Adduction Exercise to an 8 week rehabilitation program could improve outcomes in male soccer players with adductor related groin pain. Both groups completed supervised rehabilitation twice per week, but the intervention group also progressed through a modified Copenhagen Adduction Exercise program. The progression started with assisted isometric holds and advanced toward the full Copenhagen exercise, using pain response as a guide. Progression only occurred when athletes stayed at or below 4 out of 10 pain on the Numeric Rating Scale. The results were meaningful. The Copenhagen group demonstrated greater improvements in eccentric hip adduction strength, larger reductions in pain, and better scores across all HAGOS subscales compared with the control group. The intervention group improved eccentric hip adduction strength by 22 percent, exceeding the study’s stated 15 percent threshold for a clinically meaningful difference. The practical takeaway is simple: the Copenhagen Adduction Exercise is not just a prevention tool. When progressed appropriately, it may be a valuable rehabilitation asset for soccer players dealing with adductor related groin pain. The key is dosage, progression, and symptom response. = It is not about forcing the full exercise early. It is about building the athlete from tolerable isometric and modified positions toward higher load eccentric demands while respecting pain and movement quality.