Background: Femoroacetabular impingement is one possible cause for groin pain and can
lead to long periods of absence for football players. In cam impingement, the end-grade position
of the leg at kicking makes the hip particularly prone to faulty contact between the acetabulum
and the femoral head. Studies suggest that the resting position of the pelvis in the sagittal plane
may have an important role in the biomechanics of movement in the presence of cam impingement.
Methods: A 19-year-old male competitive footballer complained of sudden groin pain during a period
of low athletic load. Biomechanical tests (3D posture and isometric strength analyses) showed that
unbalanced individual strength training had resulted in an increased forward tilt of the pelvis. At
the same time, cam impingement was confirmed radiologically, which obviously contributed to
the sudden onset of the symptoms. The kicking technique of the athlete showed increased hip and
trunk flexion, which also indicated a muscular imbalance. Targeted strength and stretching exercises
three times a week improved the pelvic position in terms of reduced anteversion. At the same time,
the patient performed strength exercises to improve his kicking technique. Results: After 8 weeks,
improvements in his pelvic position and global posture and increased muscle strength could be
verified. At the same time, the athlete was free of complaints again. Conclusions: When groin pain
occurs in football players with cam impingement, special attention should be paid to the resting
position of the pelvis in the sagittal plane. Correcting increased pelvic anteversion can prevent
unfavourable end-grade collisions of the acetabulum and femoral head during kicking with strong
hip flexion and adduction. Possible changes in the pelvic position due to adverse individual strength
training performed by young athletes should always be kept in mind