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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07421986

Elastic Band Exercise to Improve Hip Strength and Agility in Young Basketball Players

Here is the complete Brief Summary entry in a single paragraph, written in plain language, and excluding the study results (as requested), but maintaining academic rigor in describing the study design:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a 4-week short-term eccentric strengthening program using elastic bands on both hip adductor muscle strength and agility performance in young male basketball players. For this randomized controlled trial, twenty-one healthy young male athletes were separated by chance into two conditions: a training group, which performed the 4-week elastic band protocol in addition to their regular basketball training, and a control group, which engaged exclusively in their routine training. The primary measurements for comparison were maximal eccentric and isometric hip adduction strength (using a hand-held dynamometer) and the agility T-test. It is hypothesized that this targeted eccentric strengthening will lead to a significant enhancement of both hip adduction strength and overall athletic performance in the intervention group

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Key information

Conditions

Eccentric Exercise Training Healthy Participants Hip Adduction Strength Strength Training Effects Strengthening Exercises

Age range

15 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Faculty of Sport and Physical Education

Niš, 18000, Serbia

About this study

The incidence of lower-limb and groin injuries in professional basketball is significant, with weak hip adductor strength identified as a major risk factor. While eccentric strengthening programs have shown promise in athletic populations, there is a clear gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of short-term hip-adduction strengthening using available tools like elastic bands in young basketball players. This study was thus designed as a rigorous randomized controlled trial to investigate this specific intervention.

This study was a 4-week Interventional Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) involving 21 healthy young male basketball players. Participants were recruited from a single sub-elite team and were excluded if they had any history of lower-limb injury (knee, hip, groin, lower back) in the preceding six months, or if they had performed any systematic hip adductor exercises during that period. Participants were randomized into two groups, paired based on their initial isometric hip adduction force. The Training Group (TG) conducted a supervised hip adduction protocol using Tuber-Band elastic bands. This program was performed 2-3 times per week for 4 weeks, in addition to their regular basketball training. The exercise involved a full range of motion in a standing position, incorporating three distinct contraction phases: a 3-second concentric contraction, a 2-second isometric hold, and a 3-second eccentric return phase. The load was individually adjusted to the 8-15 Repetition Maximum (RM) target to ensure progressive resistance throughout the program.

All measurements were performed pre- and post-intervention by an experienced rater. Primary outcome measures included maximal eccentric hip adduction strength (EHAD) and agility T-test time. Secondary outcome measures included maximal isometric hip adduction strength (IHAD) and isometric hip abduction strength (IHAB).

Strength was quantified using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD), performing a make test for isometric strength and a break test for eccentric strength. Agility was assessed objectively using photocell gates for the T-test. Data were analyzed using a 2×2 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures (group × time) to assess training-related effects. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were also calculated and reported.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy young male basketball players.
  • Must be a participant in a sub-elite basketball team.
  • Age: 15-18 years

Exclusion criteria

  • Injury and/or pain in the knee, hip, groin, and/or lower back within the last six months
  • Previous history of hip-adductor exercises performed in the preceding six months

Treatment and study plan

Eccentric Hip Adductor Strengthening with Elastic Bands

Behavioral

The training was performed in a standing position, focusing on eccentric hip adduction. The participant started from full hip-abduction. A single repetition consisted of a 3-second concentric contraction (adduction), followed by a 2-second isometric contraction, and then a 3-second eccentric movement (abduction) back to full hip-abduction, with a 2-second pause before the next repetition. The intervention spanned 4 weeks, with the training frequency and intensity progressively increasing. Load (elastic band resistance and fixation distance) was individually determined one week prior to the intervention based on repetition maximum (RM) sets. During Week 1, participants trained 2 times per week, performing 3 sets per leg at 15 RM. This progressed to 3 sessions per week for Weeks 2 and 3, with the load increasing to 10 RM (3 sets per leg). Finally, in Week 4, the frequency remained at 3 sessions per week, and the intensity was further increased to 8 RM (3 sets per leg).

Primary outcomes

  1. Maximal Eccentric Hip Adduction Strength (EHAD)

    Time frame: Baseline (Pre-intervention) and 4 Weeks (Post-intervention)

    Maximum force (in kilograms) produced during an eccentric contraction of the hip adductor muscles, measured using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) in a side-lying position on the dominant leg.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Maximal Isometric Hip Adduction Strength (IHAD)

    Time frame: Baseline (Pre-intervention) and 4 Weeks (Post-intervention)

    Maximum force (in kilograms) produced during an isometric contraction of the hip adductor muscles, measured using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) in a supine lying position on the dominant leg.

  2. Isometric Hip Abduction Strength (IHAB)

    Time frame: Baseline (Pre-intervention) and 4 Weeks (Post-intervention)

    Maximum force (in kilograms) produced during an isometric contraction of the hip abductor muscles, measured using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) in a supine lying position on the dominant leg.

  3. Agility T-test Time

    Time frame: Baseline (Pre-intervention) and 4 Weeks (Post-intervention)

    Time (in seconds) required to complete the Agility T-test, measured using photocell gates. The test involves a straight run, lateral shuffling, and hand-touching of cones.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Nebojša Trajković

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Does Short-Term Eccentric Strengthening With Elastic Bands Improve Hip Adductor Strength in Young Basketball Players?

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Feb 19, 2026
Registry last updated
Feb 19, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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