Groin strains refer to the overstretching, tearing or rupturing of any of the adductor muscles situated on the inside of the upper leg. Groin strains normally involve mild tears of a few muscle fibres but in severe cases the muscle can have an extensive rupture with an associated increase of symptoms.
Causes: Groin strains are commonly associated with strenuous overstretching involving movements of the legs. Examples include sprinting and kicking a football. Sudden changes in direction can contribute to the injury and such trauma can occur in a range of sports such as football, hockey or tennis. Overuse of the adductor muscles can lead to inflammation in the groin and cause adductor tendonitis.
Symptoms and diagnosis: Depending on the severity of the strain, mild, moderate or severe pain is located towards the top of the inner thigh. Twisting, sprinting, hip abduction and adduction movements normally aggravate the problem. Pain is also experienced when pulling your leg towards your body against resistance. Swelling and bruising often accompany the pain during the acute phase of injury. Differential diagnosis includes hernia related injuries and pain referred from the lumbo-sacral spine or hip joint.
Management: It is important that the physiotherapist correctly diagnoses the problem and ultimately provides the required treatment to reduce the pain and inflammation. Rehabilitation can then commence in conjunction with local treatment to fully resolve the problem and return the injured to full function.
Please feel free to contact the G4 Clinic to speak to a member of the team for any questions that you may have.