Groin Strain
The groin is located in the area of your hip, where the upper thigh and the lower abdomen meet. Normally, the abdomen and groin are separated by a wall of tissue and muscle; it only has two small openings in the wall called the inguinal canal and femoral canal, which allows nerves, blood vessels, and other structures to pass through.
What Is a Groin Strain?
A groin strain is an injury that occurs when you tear or pull any muscles in your groin. These groin muscles can be located on either side of your body in the folds (insides) where the belly joins the legs. These muscle groups can be divided into three groups which are your lower abdominal muscles, iliopsoas muscles (the muscles that connect your spine to your hips and legs), and the abductor muscles (six muscles in your thighs and hips). When a groin strain happens the thousands of tiny fibers in your muscles tear apart.
Symptoms and Causes of Groin Strain
Groin strains are extremely common in athletes and some common causes of groin strains are athletic activities such as running, skating, kicking a soccer ball, or lifting, pulling, and pushing heavy weights. A more rare cause is a direct blow to the groin.
When receiving a groin strain, you may feel a sharp, twinging pain that worsens when you squeeze your legs together. The most common symptoms are:
Difficulties moving your legs or hips
Swelling or bruising in the groin area
Muscle weakness
Muscle spasms
Additionally, groin strains can be categorized into three grades based on their severity:
Grade 1 (mild pain)
Grade 2 (moderate pain)
Grade 3 (severe pain)
Treatment for Groin Strain
For most groin strains you can normally treat them at home by using the RICE method:
Rest: Stop doing physical activities since it can allow further injuries, instead rest and allow time for your injury to fully heal
Ice: Applying ice for 10 to 15 minutes every hour on the first day after your injury can help relieve some pain and heal the injury. After that, you can apply ice every three to five hours. Importantly, don’t apply ice directly to your skin (wrap the ice pack in a towel).
Compression: Using compression bandages or shorts helps reduce blood flow which relieves swelling.
Elevation: Lifting your leg and lowering your body to the level of your heart will help reduce stress on the injury as well as reduce swelling.
In some cases, you may need to use crutches or a walker if you are having difficulties walking safely. You may also use medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen which can help reduce pain and swelling. On the topic of surgery, groin strain rarely needs surgical attention unless it's a severe strain (grade 3), in which you may need surgery to repair your torn muscle.
Conclusion
Ultimately, groin strains are a very common injury that is easy to treat, and there are many ways to prevent them. In many cases, groin strains are easily avoidable by stretching and warming up before you exercise or play a sport. Finally, increasing your overall flexibility can reduce the possibility of receiving groin strains and future injuries.
Sources:
“Anatomy of the Abdomen and Groin.” Saint Luke’s Health System, www.saintlukeskc.org/health-library/anatomy-abdomen-and-groin#:~:text=The%20groin%20is%20the%20area.
“What Causes Groin Pain?” Healthline, 15 Sept. 2015, www.healthline.com/health/groin-pain#:~:text=The%20groin%20is%20an%20area.
“Groin Strain: Care Instructions.” Myhealth.alberta.ca, myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abr4623#:~:text=A%20groin%20strain%20is%20an.
“How Do I Know If I Have a Groin Strain?” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/groin-strain.
“Why Elevating a Sports Injury Helps | Sports Injuries | Rehab Access.” Rehabaccess.com, 10 Apr. 2019, rehabaccess.com/why-does-elevating-a-sports-injury-help-it-heal/.