Validity and Reliability of the Modified Persian Version of the iHOT-12 Questionnaire in Iranian Professional Soccer Players with Chronic Groin Pain

Kimia  Farshadfar; Parisa  Nejati; Hooman  Angoorani; Marzieh  Fazlinejad; Elahe  Mohammadnia; Mehran  Khodashenas; Soodeh  Ghadimi

doi:10.18502/jimc.v9i1.20487

Kimia Farshadfar Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, School of Medicine, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Parisa Nejati FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Tehran, Iran
Hooman Angoorani Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, School of Medicine, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Marzieh Fazlinejad Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, School of Medicine, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Elahe Mohammadnia Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, School of Medicine, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mehran Khodashenas Alborz University of Medical Sciences
Soodeh Ghadimi Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jimc.v9i1.20487

Keywords: Factor analysis, Groin, Humans, Iran, Pelvic pain, Reproducibility of results, Soccer, Surveys and questionnaires, Statistical

Abstract

Background: The iHOT-12 questionnaire is designed to evaluate pelvic pain in various populations. This study aimed to translate and validate the Persian version of the iHOT-12 questionnaire for assessing chronic groin pain in Iranian professional soccer players, while also evaluating its validity and reliability.

Methods: This study was conducted on 809 Iranian professional soccer players who were referred to the Iranian National Football Center (IFMARC) between April 2022 and April 2024. The measurement error was assessed by calculating the Smallest Detectable Change (SDC), which helps determine the smallest amount of change that can be reliably detected by the questionnaire. Reliability was evaluated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) through the test-retest analysis conducted two weeks apart in 86 athletes, and internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha. Structural validity was assessed using a principal factor analysis.

Results: The ICC, calculated using Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.7 (95% CI). Repeatability was excellent, with a score of 0.99. The standard error of measurement was 0.83 (8.9%), and the SDC was 2.3 (24.8%). Factor analysis confirmed the structural validity of the questionnaire.

Conclusion: The modified Persian version of the iHOT-12 questionnaire demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability for assessing chronic groin pain in professional soccer players.