Groin injuries account for up to 5 percent of all sports injuries, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. A pulled groin, or groin strain, occurs when the muscles involved in adduction, or pulling the legs inwards, tear or rupture following injury or overuse. People who develop symptoms of a pulled groin should consult a physician to receive further evaluation and care.
Sudden Pain
A groin strain can cause sensations of sudden pain within the groin or inner thigh, explains the Society for Tennis Medicine and Science, or STMS. The severity of groin pain varies based upon the extent of muscle tearing. The groin region may also feel tender to the touch and pain may increase when a person places weight on the affected leg. Without appropriate treatment, groin pain symptoms typically become worse, and may limit a person's ability to stand or walk normally.
Stiffness or Weakness
A groin strain occurs when the muscle fibers of the groin tear apart. This type of muscle damage can cause significant inflammation or swelling around the affected region. Consequently, people who sustain a groin strain can develop stiffness within the upper portion of the thigh. Groin stiffness can interfere with a person's ability to extend or rotate the affected leg. Additionally, people can notice that it is difficult to pull their knees in towards each other due to groin weakness following a pulled groin injury, Aurora Health Care reports.
Bruising
Damage to the groin region due to a pulled groin can injure surrounding blood vessels. Injury to the blood vessels causes blood to pool immediately beneath the surface of the skin. When this occurs, people with a pulled groin can notice bruising or skin discoloration at the site of injury, the STMS reports. Bruising may not become apparent until several days following injury and may initially become worse as the groin begins to heal. The bruised skin region can be tender to the touch and may appear dark red, blue, purple or yellow in color. As the blood vessels heal, the bruised skin region will progressively return to its normal skin coloring.
Snapping or Popping
People may notice an abnormal snapping or popping sensation or noise during a pulled groin injury. This sensation corresponds with the tearing of the muscle fibers within the groin and typically occurs in conjunction with sudden pain symptoms.
