- Ice the inside of your thigh to reduce pain and swelling. Experts recommend doing it for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days, or until the pain is gone.
- Compress your thigh using an elastic bandage or tape.
- Take anti-inflammatory painkillers.
How long does it take for a groin injury to heal?
Should you stretch a pulled groin?
What to do for groin strain?
These include rest, stretching, and some oral medications. Rarely is more invasive treatment necessary. Groin strain injuries can be a frustration for athletes and weekend warriors alike. The desire to return to full activity often conflicts with the duration of recovery.
What is a pulled groin?
A pulled groin is usually a clear diagnosis. Most athletes know what the injury is before they seek medical attention. However, other conditions can mimic the symptoms of a groin strain. 1  One condition that was previously not well-recognized is called a sports hernia .
How painful is a groin pull?
Groin Strain Symptoms. An acute groin pull can be quite painful, depending on how severe the injury is. Groin pulls are usually graded as follows: Grade I groin strain : Mild discomfort, often no disability. Usually does not limit activity.
What is a groin pull?
Stretches to Prevent Injury. A groin pull is an injury to the muscles (a muscle strain ) of the inner thigh. The groin muscles, called the adductor muscle group, consists of six muscles that span the distance from the inner pelvis to the inner part of the femur (thigh bone). These muscles pull the legs together and help with other movements ...
What muscles pull the legs together?
These muscles pull the legs together and help with other movements of the hip joint. The adductor muscles are important to many types of athletes including sprinters, swimmers, soccer players, and football players. When a muscle is strained, the muscle is stretched too far. Less severe strains pull the muscle beyond their normal excursion.
How to prevent groin strain injury?
Athletes, especially hockey and soccer players, should incorporate adductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, and core strengthening exercises into their workouts to prevent injury.
Why do athletes pull their groins?
Because of this, proper conditioning is of utmost importance to prevent groin strain injury .
What is the treatment for pulled groin muscle?
Like with most other types of soft tissue injuries, pulled groin muscle treatment can include RICE therapy 5 : Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. You can administer this treatment with traditional ice packs and compression bandages, or increase the effectiveness of therapeutic cold and compression with a cold therapy system.
How to relieve groin pain after pulling?
Massage is another popular method for reducing tension in the groin muscles while recovering from a pull or tear. This type of treatment is appropriate after the area is no longer tender to the touch, as otherwise it might be too painful and uncomfortable. 7.
Why does my groin tear?
This is because groin muscles can tear or stretch when pivoting to avoid a tackle, changing directions quickly to catch a ball, or stretching beyond the natural limits of the muscles. Any type of sudden movement in the groin area can potentially cause a strain or pull, especially when the muscles are not properly warmed up. 2.
How do you know if you pulled your groin?
When you pull a groin, you can expect to experience some or all of the following symptoms 1: Pain when you lift your knee. Pain when you use the adductor muscles, which bring your legs together. Tenderness and discomfort in the inside of the thigh. Swelling or discoloration in the groin area.
How to stretch your groin?
Seated short groin stretch: While seated on the floor, bend the knees, and bring the soles of the feet together in front of you. With a straight back, use your elbows to gently push your knees toward the floor until you feel a light stretch in the inner thigh, and hold the position.
What is a pulled groin?
A pulled groin—also known as a groin strain or sprain—occurs when the muscles in the inner thigh get overstretched or torn. 1 This can happen when they contract too quickly during activities such as running, jumping, or changing direction. 1 Although a pulled groin is a common injury among athletes, it can happen to anybody.
How to strengthen adductor muscles?
Use a small medicine ball placed between the knees to create resistance, and squeeze for five-second intervals. Repeat 10 times, and increase the duration and number of repetitions as strength improves. Straight-leg adductor exercise: Remain in a reclined position, and extend the legs flat on the floor.
How to prevent groin strain?
The best way to prevent groin strain is to avoid using the adductor muscle without proper training and preparation. Especially if you play a sport that’s likely to cause groin strain, regularly stretch and strengthen your adductor muscles.
How long does it take to recover from a groin strain?
Depending on the grade of your strain, here’s estimated recovery times: Grade 1: two to three weeks. Grade 2: two to three months. Grade 3: four months or more.
What is a groin strain?
Overview. A groin strain is an injury or tear to any of the adductor muscles of the thigh. These are the muscles on the inner side of the thigh. Sudden movements usually trigger an acute groin strain, such as kicking, twisting to change direction while running, or jumping. Athletes are most at risk for this injury.
What is grade 1 groin strain?
A grade 1 groin strain occurs when the muscle is overstretched or torn, damaging up to 5 percent of the muscle fibers. You may be able to walk without pain, but running, jumping, kicking, or stretching may be painful.
How to heal adductor muscle?
As your adductor muscle is recovering, avoid activities that involve pain. Resume activities gradually. This will enable your muscle to heal fully and prevent you from developing a recurrent groin strain injury. The length of time you need to recover will also depend on your level of fitness before the injury.
How to tell if groin is strained?
They can include: pain (usually felt in the inner thigh, but located anywhere from the hip to the knee) decreased strength in the upper leg. swelling.
What is the risk factor for groin strain?
The primary risk factor for groin strain is playing a sport that involves kicking, turning suddenly while running, and jumping. Needing to change direction frequently is also a risk factor.
How to get rid of groin strain?
A good, relaxed swing is what is required, gradually increasing the height of swing. Continue stretches until fully fit and before exercise when back fit. All stretches must be performed pain-free and do not push too hard! Go to full Groin strain rehab program.
How to stretch the groin muscles?
keeping the leg straight targets the long adductor muscles that attach below the knee. Stand with your feet wide apart as shown, and lean away from the side you are stretching. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 5 times a day.
What muscles are strengthened with legs bent?
They should be performed with legs bent and straight, and ideally, they should also be done with varying amounts of stretch on the muscles. Short adductor muscles are strengthened with the legs bent.
How to build abdominal strength?
Squeeze the legs together and hold, relax and repeat. Start with 3 sets of 10 secs once a day and build up to 3 sets of 10 secs done twice a day. Start core exercises to improve abdominal strength because of the close relationship of the groin and abdominals.
What muscles do medicine balls strengthen?
These strengthen the groin muscles in a more functional position. By using a medicine ball in the lateral lunge (side lunge) the athlete is able to add weight to the exercise as well as using it to aid balance.
How to raise the top leg?
Raise the top leg up then by contracting the adductor muscle and keeping the core muscle firm the lower leg is raised up to meet the top leg. Hold briefly then lower and repeat. Ankle weights can be used to increase the difficulty of any of these exercises.
How to do adductors in a day?
Start with 3 sets of 10 secs once a day and build up to 3 sets of 10 secs done twice a day. To work the short adductors in the outer range a much larger gym ball can be used. Long adductors – place a ball between the ankles, with the legs straight and gently press inwards with the legs.
Groin Strain Symptoms
Causes
- Groin pulls are often seen in athletes who play ice hockey and soccer. Injuries may be more likely in people with: 1. Less strength in their hip muscles 2. Less effective preseason conditioning 3. Previous injury To prevent a groin strain, it's really important to have proper conditioning. Athletes, especially hockey and soccer players, should design their workouts to: 1. Strengthen adductor m…
Diagnosis
- A pulled groin is usually a clear diagnosis. Most athletes know what the injury is before they seek medical attention. However, other conditions can mimic the symptoms of a groin strain.1 One lesser-known condition is a sports hernia. Sports hernias have been found in patients with chronic groin strains. A sports hernia is similar to a regular inguinal hernia, which is a weakening of mus…
Treatment
- Once a strain is diagnosed, you can begin treatment. Rest, stretching, and oral pain medications are the most common treatments. Surgery is not usually necessary. Groin strains can be frustrating for athletes and weekend warriors alike. You may want to return to your activities before you're fully recovered. Exactly how long it takes to recover will depend on how severe the …
Stretches to Prevent Injury
- If you have a groin strain, a stretching program will help you recover. Simple stretches can help ease the symptoms and keep new strains from occurring.
Summary
- A groin pull is an injury to the inner thigh muscles. Most of the time, these strains involve small tears to the muscle fibers. They can be treated with rest, stretching, and over-the-counter medications. Sometimes, however, more severe muscle tears can happen. In rare cases, these tears have to be repaired with surgery. If you have a severe groin pull, see a healthcare professio…
A Word from Verywell
- If you're not sure if you have a groin pull or your symptoms do not improve quickly, it's a good idea to see a healthcare provider. Other conditions can be confused with a groin pull, and they may need different treatments.