Groin strains are one of the most common injuries among athletes. The groin consists of many muscles and any number of them could be involved.
Muscles Involved:
Adductors: magnus, longus, brevis
Hip flexors: iliacus and psoas (iliopsoas)
Abdominals: rectus abdominis and internal oblique
There are different grades of muscle strains I, II, and III. I have already gone through the different grades of muscle strains. Check out the blog post here.
Signs of a Groin Strain
Symptoms of a groin strain may be different with everyone. But below are the most common signs:
- Pain to touch the area
- Pain with muscle contractions of the specific muscle
- Pain with too much stretching
- Bruising
- Swelling
Manual Therapy on Groin Strains
As the Physical Therapist, I will do different types of manual therapy on the patient with this injury.
The first thing I will do is gently stretch the muscles that are strained. Making sure not to stretch too much to irritate the muscles.
Next, I will perform soft tissue work on the area, whether that be massage, IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization), and cupping.
As the muscles heal, it may not be necessary to continue with soft tissue work or stretching.
Exercises for Groin Strains
Stretches: adductor (butterfly), hip flexor (half kneel)
Hip adduction squeeze
Abdominal bracing
Straight Leg Raise
Side lying hip adduction
Lateral lunge
Marches
Planks
4 way hip
These are just a starting point for groin strains. Performing the exercises I have given are not the only ones that can be done and the progression depends on the person.
If you would like more information on the effectiveness of a good rehabilitation program, check out this research article here.