According to the Sports Injury Bulletin website, a groin strain is a bruising, stretching or tearing of hip adductor muscle fibers that run from the hip bone to the inside aspect of the thigh. The hip adductor muscles--including the adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis and pectineus--help move the thigh toward the body's midline. Most groin pulls can be successfully treated using conservative, non-invasive treatments.
Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation
Rest, ice, compression and elevation, or RICE, are effective treatments for an acute groin pull. According to the Sports Injury Bulletin website, it's important to elevate the involved-side leg, compress the injured area and apply ice as soon as possible following a groin pull, along with avoiding activities--such as walking, jogging and running--that could provoke or exacerbate the existing condition. Ice application, compression of the injured area and leg elevation help control pain and promote recovery in the early phases of groin pull recovery. Ice massage is a particularly effective technique. The Sports Injury Bulletin website recommends filling a paper cup with water and placing it in the freezer. Once the water is frozen, the top edge of the paper cup can be peeled back slightly to expose a portion of the ice. Rubbing the exposed ice surface over the injured area can be a soothing and effective treatment to keep swelling and pain at bay. Ice should be applied for no more than 12 minutes at a time, with 20 minutes of recovery between rubbings.
Manual Therapies
Manual therapies are an effective treatment method for groin pulls, especially in the recovery phase of care. Dr. Michael Carnes, a chiropractic physician and the author of "Quick Reference Conservative Care Conditions Manual" states that manual therapies, can help accelerate groin strain recovery. Examples of manual therapies include deep tissue massage, myofascial trigger point treatment, cross-fiber friction massage, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization and myofascial release techniques. Manual therapies promote increased blood flow to the area being worked on, bringing in oxygen and nutrients and flushing away deleterious metabolic byproducts that may have accumulated around the injury site. Manual therapies also help reduce scar tissue or myofascial adhesions--connective tissue linkages between muscle and the fascia that surrounds it--that may be limiting a person's hip range of motion or causing discomfort.
Stretching and Strengthening
Stretching and strengthening is an effective treatment method for groin pulls. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, a sports medicine specialist will usually recommend a rehabilitation program for groin pull patients that consists of both stretching and strengthening exercises. NBA.com touts the butterfly stretch and the isometric squeeze as particularly beneficial exercises for groin strain rehabilitation. The butterfly stretch is performed on the floor, in a sitting position. The soles of the feet are brought together and the feet and ankles pulled toward the body. Gentle pressure is applied by the elbows on the inside edge of the knees, which stretches the adductor muscle group in both legs. The isometric squeeze is a groin muscle strengthening exercise that's performed once there is no pain with stretching. A person lies on her back, places a basketball between her knees and gently squeezes her knees together. The squeeze or contraction should be help for about six seconds, and the squeeze-and-relax sequence should be performed a total of six times before resting for one minute. Four total sets are appropriate for this exercise.
References
- Sports Injury Bulletin: Groin Strain Causes
- Sports Injury Clinic: Groin Strain
- NBA.com: Rehabilitating a Groin Sprain
- "Quick Reference Conservative Care Conditions Manual"; Michael Carnes, D.C.; 2004
