Groin injuries are common in sports that require a rapid change in side-to-side directions. Within the realm of sports injuries, groin injuries account for 2 to 5 percent of all injuries, according to MD Guidelines, an online source for physicians. All sprains or muscle pulls are graded based on the number of muscle fibers torn. A grade one sprain is the mildest; meaning approximately 10 percent of the muscle is torn.
Rest and Ice
MD Guidelines state the first thing to do is rest and ice the area of pain. ESPN's sport pages interview with Dr. Parker also supports the use of ice and rest to help decrease pain and inflammation of the area of the strain. All irritating activities should be avoided initially from the activity that caused the injury to walking, if pain is felt. If complete rest is not possible, icing after moving around helps keep the pain down.
Massage
Home massage or in-office massage to the area eases groin pull pain. The inner thigh can be a sensitive area to work on so it may be best to do some self massage at home with long smooth strokes down towards the knee or up towards the groin. A massage therapist will be able to do a deeper tissue massage than what can be done at home.
Stretching
Once the area has been iced and had some time to rest, working up to gradual stretching and pain-free ranges of motion are the next steps, according to ESPN's sport pages interview with Dr. Parker. A good way to stretch the left inner thigh is to stand with legs wider than shoulder width apart and shift the upper body to the right until a mild stretch is felt through the left thigh. The stretch should be held from 30 seconds to 1 minute on each leg. If a stretch cannot be felt with that movement, widen the stance even further and bend the right knee.
Time
MD Guidelines state a mild pull or strain may heal within a few days to a week on its own without treatment. If the pain persists beyond a week or is re-aggravated with activity, it may be a more serious strain and need further medical evaluation. Dr. Parker states that athletes from the weekend warrior level to professional athletes all do well with rest, icing, stretching and returning to activity. The more mild the strain, the sooner the participant can return to full activity.
