1 Goal Keeper School

What is a groin strain?
A groin strain is an injury to the muscles 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 also help with other movements of the hip joint. The adductor muscles are important to many types of athletes including sprinters, swimmers and football players.

What happens to the muscle with a groin strain?
A groin strain is an injury to the adductor muscles called a muscle strain. When a muscle is strained, the muscle is stretched too far. Less severe strains pull the muscle beyond their normal excursion. More severe strains tear the muscle fibers, and can even cause a complete tear of the muscle. Most commonly, groin pulls are minor tears of some muscle fibers, but the bulk of the muscle tissue remains intact.

What are the symptoms of a groin strain?
An acute groin strain can be quite painful, depending on the severity of the injury. Groin pulls 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.

When do I need to see a doctor for a groin strain?
If you have symptoms of a severe groin strain, you should be evaluated for proper treatment. Some signs of a severe groin strain include:

• Difficulty walking
• Pain while sitting or at rest
• Pain at night

Severe groin strains should be evaluated because in some very rare situations of complete muscle rupture, surgery may be necessary to reattach the torn ends of the muscle. This is rarely needed, even in patients with Grade III groin strain injuries, as these patients can usually undergo successful non-operative treatment. If you are unsure if you have a groin strain or the symptoms do not quickly resolve, then you should be seen by your doctor.  Once a strain is diagnosed, you can begin treatment for your groin strain.

Strengthening exercises for a groin strain

Below are examples of strengthening exercises that may be used in the rehabilitation of a groin strain.
(Always seek professional advice before starting a rehabilitation programme)

Static contraction

These are exercises where the muscle contracts but there is no actual movement.

* Place a ball or similar between the legs and gently press inwards with the legs.
* Hold for count of 10, relax and repeat 10 times.
* The number may be increased gradually.
* Doing this with the legs bent and ball off the floor inbetween the knees will strengthen the short adductors.
* Performing with the legs straight and ball between the ankles will strengthen the long adductors.
* This exercise may be done daily.

more advanced exercises..

Straight leg raise and out

* Sit upright with feet rotated outwards.
* Lift one leg slightly off the ground, move leg outwards whilst keeping off the ground.
* Return to the middle, then either rest for a couple of seconds, or if strong enough take the leg out again without resting
* Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
* This exercise may be done daily.

Straight leg raise and across

* Lie on a couch or bed with one leg relaxed down the side of the couch.
* Raise the leg upwards and across the other leg, lower and repeat 10 times
* Build up to 3 sets of 10 then increase the resistance by adding a weight to the ankle.

Resistance band adduction

* Tie one end of a section of resistance band around your ankle.
* Tie the other end around something sturdy, close to ground level.
* Stand away from the attachment point, standing on the uninvoled leg and hold on to something for balance if necessary.
* Take the involved leg out to the side as far as possible and make sure the band is taught in this position.
* Keep the knee straight as you bring your leg in to the centre and across the standing leg, against the resistance of the band.
* Slowly return to the starting position and repeat 10 times initially.
* Gradually increase the number of reps you perform.

Athletes who sustain a groin strain will want to incorporate a stretching program as part of their rehabilitation. Some simple stretches can help ease the symptoms of a groin strain. Furthermore, stretching can be a useful part of preventing groin injuries from occurring.

As a general rule, the stretches should not hurt. There should be a gentle pulling sensation of the muscle, but this should not be painful.

The first stretch is the squatting adductor stretch:

Squat to the ground with your arms between your legs.
stretch your legs apart by pushing out with your elbows.

The butterfly stretch is done in a sitting position.

Sit with your feet together and knees bent. Grasp your feet with your hands.
Stretch your knees down towards the ground.
Do not bounce. Feel the stretch along your inner thigh.

The adductor stretch is done while standing.

Stretch one leg out to the side, keeping your other leg under your torso.
Bend the knee underneath your torso to stretch the muscles of the inner thigh
of the opposite leg.
Your outstretched leg should have a straight knee,
and you should feelthe stretch on the inner thigh.

The cross-leg stretch is done while sitting.

While sitting in a chair, cross one leg over the other.
Press the knee of the crossed leg down towards the ground.
This stretch will emphasize the muscles of the inner thigh and front of the thigh.