A pulled groin is commonly seen among athletes that require agile movements and quick acceleration in lateral and forward movements. It is a muscle injury found in the frontal area of the hips that involve different muscles such as the hip flexors (rectus femoris, iliopsoas, sartorius and tensor fascia latae) and the hip adductor muscle group (gracilis, pectineus, longus, adductor magnus and brevis).
A pulled groin usually occurs when the muscles are overloaded or overstretched, and it can happen in many different ways. Exercising without warming up, giving strong kicks, rough stretches during lateral movements or falling from skating or skiing are just some of the major causes.
Who suffers from groin pain
Anybody can suffer from groin pain. However, this problem is more evident among athletes who are in the type of sports that require repetitive motions, explosive and sudden change of movements. For example, volleyball players can experience pulled groin because their sport needs them to move from one side to another dynamically.
Athletes that use their extremities often are also susceptible to this injury. Soccer players use both the adductor and hip flexor muscles to kick the ball. When these muscles are tight, lacks warm up and stretches, it causes pulled groin and pain.
As people who dance for a living use the same extremity muscles with a soccer player, they are not excluded from this problem. Hip flexor tightness can also be seen among dancers because of the amount of rotation and hip flexion they require. This is why contemporary and ballet dancers often suffer from groin pain, especially when they have not stretched or warmed up correctly.
What are the common symptoms of groin injury
Groin Pain – Pain in the groin either appear right away or develop over time. It depends on the type and severity of the injury you have.
Fever, Nausea and Vomiting – Some groin injuries can cause secondary symptoms such as fever, nausea and vomiting. It can also compress tissues in the affected area which can result in infection and fever. Seek medical care immediately if this happens.
Abdominal Pain – The pain found in the lower abdomen can be an indicative sign that you have a groin injury. Sometimes, the muscle damage can lead to other problems like osteitis pubis and inguinal hernia.
Swelling or Discoloration – Swelling goes hand-in-hand with hip, upper leg and groin injuries. The affected area becomes inflamed, and the skin becomes red, black and blue, bluish or black. This is caused by the musculoskeletal tearing and the presence of blood in the injured area.
The Pain Comes and Goes – Other types of groin injuries would subside with rest but would immediately resurface as soon as the person returns to playing sports. This is commonly known as the sports hernia, and it may worsen during sudden and twisting movements of the body.
What are the treatments available
Rest and medical intervention are fundamental factors in a speedy recovery. Aside from consulting with your doctor, living a healthy lifestyle is essential to any rehabilitation. Even if you are injured, you must remain physically active by performing low-impact exercises. As for the pain, some patients are prescribed with Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs.
There are also patients who prefer to skip on these powerful pain-relieving drugs and stick to natural remedies such as hot and cold compress, and natural anti-inflammatory treatments like taking turmeric curcumin. If you opt for the latter, be sure to research about the product of your choice and clear this plan out with your doctor.
What are the other causes of groin pain and injury
Tight hip flexors are not the only cause of pain in the groin area, overstretching the muscles can cause the problem as well. Most athletes concentrate on warming up and stretching their quadriceps and hamstrings and often forget about the adductor muscles.
These muscles tend to be tighter than the hip muscles, so it is vital to perform a complete body warm up, and proper thigh and hip stretch before engaging in any physical activity.
In conclusion, a pulled groin is often a result of tendons, ligaments, and hip injuries which frequently occur to active people and athletes who play high-impact sports. Groin injuries can also be challenging to diagnose as many types of trauma could possibly happen in the groin area.
The pain could be a symptom of a problem in the surrounding ligaments, or it could be at the groin itself. Whatever caused it, it is advised that you consult your doctor to get a proper diagnosis and recovery treatment plan.