Distribution of Groin Injury Subtypes in Football Players: A Narrative Review

Groin injury accounts for 3-31% of all sport related injuries, frequently affecting field athletes and football players, where repetitive kicking, side-to-side movement, and twisting impose high mechanical demands such as in soccer and American football. This review aimed to determine the distribution of different subtypes of groin injury in football players using the standardised terminology and anatomical classification systems. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM), Sage Journals, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar, following, covering studies published up to December 2024. The search included studies focusing on distribution of groin injury subtypes among football players. Eligible studies included football players novices to experts, sex and age group, articles investigating the distribution of different subtypes of groin injury using standardised terminology and anatomical classification systems, and were published in English. Two independent reviewers screened and extracted data. Of 1,245 studies identified, 11 met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 4,226 groin injuries. 2,476 (58.58%) were adductor-related injuries, which were most prevalent, subsequent to iliopsoas-related injuries, n=635 (15.02%). The remaining injuries n=1176 (27.82%) were attributed to other anatomical regions, including inguinal, pubic, and hip-related injuries, often underreported (Total injury location exceed total number of injuries due to multiple location injuries per player). Common risk factors included high training loads, insufficient recovery, previous groin injuries, and muscular imbalances. Based on current findings adductor-related injuries dominate groin pathology in football, followed by iliopsoas but other categories remain underreported. These results emphasise the need for standardised diagnostic criteria to improve injury classification and reporting. Broader adoption of standardised terminology and improved preventive interventions are essential for advancing clinical management and reducing injury burden. Future research should aim at refining diagnostic criteria and developing targeted preventive interventions.