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GROIN STRAIN

Muscle strains
Strains of the muscles around the hip and pelvis can cause pain and spasm. The most common strains are groin strains and hamstring strains.

What is a groin strain?
A groin strain is an injury to the muscles of the inner thigh. These muscles are called the  "adductor muscles" and attach from the  inner pelvis to the inner part of the femur (thigh bone). These muscles pull the legs together, and also 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.

What happens to the muscle with a groin strain?
it is these adductor muscles that are strained, ie it is strained, the muscle is stretched too far. Less severe strains pull the muscle beyond their normal excursion. More severe strains may tear the muscle fibers, or even cause a complete tear of the muscle. Most commonly, groin strains are minor tears of some muscle fibers, with the bulk of the muscle tissue remaining intact.

What are the symptoms of a groin pull?
An acute groin strain can be quite painful, depending on the severity of the injury. They are usually graded as follows:

  • Grade I Groin Strain: Mild discomfort, often no disability. Usually does not limit activity.
  • Grade II Groin Strain: Moderate discomfort, can limit ability to perform activities such as running and jumping. May have moderate swelling and bruising associated.
  • Grade III Groin Strain: Severe injury that can cause pain with walking. Often patients complain of muscle spasm, swelling, and significant bruising.




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Groin strains are often seen in athletics who participate in sports such as hockey and football. These injury may be in part predisposed by hip muscle strength, preseason conditioning, and previous history of injury to the area
What can be done about this?
The following are the common treatments used for groin strains:

  • Rest - it is important to rest following the injury to allowed the injured muscle to properly heal. Allow pain to guide your level of activity; this means that activities which cause symptoms should be avoided.
  • Stretching - gentle stretches to the adductor muscles is helpful, but it should not be painful. Stretching excessively can be harmful and slow the healing process.
  • Ice - apply an ice pack to the area in the acute phase (first 48 hours after injury), and then after activities. Ice will help calm the inflammatory response and stimulate blood flow to the area.
  • Heat - before activities, gentle heating can help loosen the muscle. Apply a heat pack to the groin prior to stretching or exercising.
  • Anti inflammatory medication - oral anti-inflammatory medications (such as Ibuprofen) can help relieve symptoms of pain and also calm the inflammation.
  • Manual therapy - such as osteopathy, physiotherapy and massage  can be helpful in guiding treatment that may speed your recovery. These therapies may be helpful for Grades I and II  to improve the function to the area and develop a management plan of exercises and advice appropriate for you. Sometimes  ultrasound may be helpful.

What can be done to prevent groin strains?
Proper conditioning is of utmost importance to prevent the occurrence of a groin strain injury. Athletes, especially hockey and football players, should incorporate adductor stretching exercises , hip adductor and abductor strengthening exercises, pelvic stability exercises (gluteus medius and maximus)  and core strengthening exercises (including abdominal and lumbar strengthening) into their workouts to prevent further injury.

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Content by Jane Morris - connect with me on Google+



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