Acupuncture For Groin Strain? The 87 Top Answers

To support tissue healing, your healthcare provider will guide you through active stretching and strengthening exercises. Depending on the severity of the injury, this can start immediately or require rest for several days. Pain serves as a guide. Too aggressive and further damage may occur.

Luckily, a groin strain usually heals on its own. All you have to do is give it some time and rest. To speed up healing you can:

To diagnose a groin strain, your doctor will do a thorough physical exam. Tests such as X-rays and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) may be needed to rule out other problems.

Groin strains are common in people who play sports that involve a lot of running and jumping. In particular, sudden jumping or changing direction is a likely cause. Groin strains are common in people who play soccer and account for about 10% of all injuries in professional hockey players.

A groin strain – or groin strain – occurs when the muscles in the groin and thigh are put under too much strain. If these muscles are tightened too much or too suddenly, they can become overstretched or torn.

Groin strains can become chronic if the cause is not identified and treated. Your doctor or physical therapist should examine your core, hips, and lower extremities for possible sources, such as weakness or instability, that may be putting additional stress on the groin. Treatments that affect not only the groin but also groin dysfunction will speed recovery and minimize the risk of recurrence. Most of the time, these conservative treatments are sufficient. But not always. If these techniques still don’t help, you should consider surgery. While surgery can give you relief, it is the last resort. Not everyone can return to their previous activity level afterwards. So talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of surgery. You should also consider getting a second opinion.

If a groin train feels better, then what? Everyone wants to know how quickly they can get back on track after a groin pull – and how quickly the pain goes away. But there is no easy answer. The recovery time depends on how strong your groin pull is. It can take 4 to 6 weeks, but that’s just a rough estimate. People heal at different rates.

In the meantime, switch to a new activity that doesn’t put too much strain on your groin muscles. For example, runners could try swimming. Whatever you do, don’t rush into anything. Do not attempt to return to your old level of physical activity until: You can move your leg on the injured side as freely and easily as your other leg

The leg on the injured side feels just as strong as the leg on the uninjured side

You feel no pain when walking, jogging, then sprinting, and finally jumping. If you start pushing before your groin strain has healed, you could injure yourself again. And if you get more groin strains, they can be more difficult to treat and take longer to heal. They can even lead to permanent disability.

How can I prevent groin strains? Given that groin strains can be painful and debilitating, the best advice is to prevent them. You should: Always warm up your legs and groin muscles before physical activity. Light jogging or other activities that increase body temperature have been shown to reduce the risk of muscle discoloration.

Wear shoes with good support that fit well.

Always increase the intensity of your physical activity slowly – no more than 10% per week.

Stop exercising if you experience pain or tightness in your groin or inner thigh.

Do regular strengthening exercises for your hamstrings, especially if you’ve ever had a groin.

In the ancient Chinese medicine of acupuncture, thin needles are gently inserted into specific areas of the body to stimulate blood flow to speed recovery from certain ailments. It can be used as a treatment for everything from headaches and imbalanced hormones to joint pain and a weakened immune system. Acupuncture is also popular with athletes, as many of them incorporate it into their wellness programs to stay in top shape.

“Athletes used to eat steak during the week, smoke cigars and drink whiskey and play soccer on Sundays,” says Thomas Betts, a sports medicine acupuncturist at Henry Ford Health. “But today athletes are attacking the body from every angle imaginable to improve their performance, with diet, lifestyle and exercise. For example, NBA players have talked about how acupuncture makes them feel good.”

But you don’t have to be an NBA star to reap the benefits of acupuncture. Whether you’re a professional or student athlete, whether you train and play sports for fun, or challenge yourself, here are ways acupuncture can up your game:

Acupuncture can help you recover more quickly from an injury. “Once a muscle is torn, acupuncture won’t repair it, but for sprains and strains, sore muscles and tendonitis, acupuncture can reduce inflammation and speed the healing process,” says Betts. Acupuncture can reduce the need for “rest days.” If you’ve just had an intense workout and your muscles are sore, acupuncture afterwards can loosen the muscles and relieve soreness, so you don’t have to take a day off to recover before your next workout. Acupuncture can improve flexibility, decrease muscle tension, and increase muscle activation. “This is done with motor point acupuncture,” says Betts. “The motor point is where the brain attaches to the muscle via the motor nerve. By using needles to stimulate a motor point, it’s like restarting a phone or computer that isn’t working well: Motor point acupuncture is self-regulating, allowing it to deactivate a tight muscle or reactivate an inhibited or weak muscle.” Acupuncture can provide immediate pain relief. “Some studies show that acupuncture can provide as much, if not more, pain relief than medication,” says Betts. “It’s different for everyone and it depends on what’s being treated, but some people say they feel a difference right after one session and others say they feel better about 20 to 30 minutes later.” The pain relief can last from a few hours to a few days. Acupuncture can help prevent injury. Because acupuncture can reactivate weak muscles and reduce muscle tension, it can also be used as a preventive measure against injury, says Betts. But you should still stretch before and after exercise!

I injured my groin muscle 17 weeks ago. At first I couldn’t walk. It was a searing, stabbing pain that took my breath away with every step. I’ve had acupuncture treatments and active release techniques applied to it. It is an area that has been violated on multiple occasions. The first time was my freshman year of high school. I’m 52 now.

The last time I hurt my groin was about 9 years ago and it took 3 months to heal. In my 20’s when I injured it it took 2 months to heal. They did an ultrasound and ruled out a hernia. However, my lymph nodes were extremely swollen. They did a full blood test and ruled out anything serious. It’s much better.

I’ve been cross training with the bike and adaptive movement trainer (AMT) for 15 weeks. I’m doing everything I did before the injury except running. I can jog in place without pain, but pushing off still hurts a bit. I walked/”jogged” if you want to call it a jog because it’s really slow and the steps are really tiny.

My doctor who does the active release says that breaking up the scar tissue increases healing time. I know I have a lot of scar tissue due to my 6th injury in that area, but it’s been over 4 months. Any suggestions on what to do? I also did a lot of core strengthening exercises.

Thank you for any help you may have.

-Jan

Jan,

Groin pain in athletes is often a difficult problem and it is sometimes difficult to find the true source of the pain. Some of the more common possibilities include muscle strain (adductor group), tendonitis (adductor group), sacroiliac joint dysfunction, osteoarthritis of the hip, labral tear in the hip joint, sports hernia, inguinal hernia, osteitis pubis, and nerve traps.

Are you sure it’s your groin muscle? Most commonly, the muscles involved are in the adductor group. That’s the muscle belly and tendon you feel when you squeeze your knees together, and it’s the usual groin pull. This often heals over a period of weeks and you are probably at the end of the usual healing time if that is the cause. If it looks like this is the injury, I would “stay the course.”

It doesn’t sound like you have a hernia since you don’t describe a bump and you had a normal ultrasound. Evaluating sports hernias requires some darting and darting to make the diagnosis, and sometimes an MRI can help determine the best course of action. If your hip range of motion appears normal and equal to the opposite side in internal and external rotation, osteoarthritis seems unlikely. Osteitis pubis is usually tender in the midline of the pubic bone, around where your bladder sits.

As you heal, continue to focus on your core strength and spend some time on glute strength as well. In addition to your strength, if your kinetic chain movement is abnormal, you’ll be primed for another groin injury. You should consider having your mechanics checked through the leg and pelvis to correct muscle imbalances that contributed to or are a result of the injury. (Is the painful groin the culprit or the victim?) You should also check that your pelvis is level and you have good movement through the SI joints and lumbar spine. Your doctor may be able to do this for you or send you to a PT who can do the evaluation. You may also need additional imaging to find the cause of your problem.

I hope it helps.

Cheers,

invoice

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Chronic pain is a condition that occurs when the brain, based on the many signals it receives from the body, concludes that there is a threat to a person’s well-being. This condition can and often does occur unrelated to actual body tissue damage (due to injury or disease) and beyond the normal healing time of the tissue. It is estimated that 116 million Americans suffer from chronic pain each year. The cost in the United States ranges from $560 billion to $635 billion annually in medical treatment, lost work time, and lost wages. The causes of chronic pain are very different. While any condition can lead to chronic pain, there are certain medical conditions that are more likely to cause chronic pain. These include: Trauma/injury Diabetes mellitus Fibromyalgia Limb amputation Reflex sympathetic dystrophy Some diseases, such as cancer and arthritis, cause persistent pain. However, in chronic pain, pain is generated in the nervous system even after the physical tissues have healed. Chronic pain affects everyone differently. In some cases, chronic pain can lead to reduced activity levels, job loss or financial difficulties, as well as anxiety, depression and disability. Physical therapists work with chronic pain sufferers to relieve their pain and bring their activity back to the highest possible level. With treatment, the side effects of chronic pain can be reduced. For more resources on pain and the use of opioids to manage pain, visit our Pain Health Center and our Opioid Pain Management Health Center. The American Physical Therapy Association launched a national campaign to raise awareness of the risks of opioids and the safe alternative of physical therapy for long-term pain management. Learn more on our Safe Pain Management page. What is chronic pain? Pain is an uncomfortable feeling that we usually associate with injury or tissue damage, but it can also occur without tissue damage. Pain can be acute or chronic. Acute pain lasts only a short time – up to 12 weeks. It is a warning that tissue damage has occurred or may occur, or to help us avoid injury or illness. For example, when we touch a hot stove, the body sends a danger message to the brain that tissue is at risk to prevent further injury. A sore foot may indicate that you need to change your shoes. In some cases, the danger messages can be due to a disease process, and your brain can interpret these messages as pain. This can lead you to see a doctor — diagnosis and treatment — for a potentially serious condition. Signaling pain in this way is how the body protects us, and it’s a good thing. Chronic pain is any discomfort or uncomfortable feeling that lasts longer than three months – or beyond an expected normal healing time. Often, those suffering from chronic pain believe they have an ongoing illness or that their body is not healed, when this may not be the case. Chronic pain probably doesn’t warn you of possible injury or danger; Instead, the pain centers in the brain can cause pain even though no new sources of pain arise in the body. Anyone at any age can develop chronic pain. The brain changes in chronic pain: when you are injured or develop a painful illness, nerves send information from the problem area to the brain. The brain analyzes this information coming from the body to determine if there is a threat to the body and if action needs to be taken to prevent damage. When the pain is constant or chronic, the brain and nervous system go on “high alert” and become more sensitive. Cells that conduct sensations in the nervous system can also become more sensitive when on high alert, making it easier for the brain to interpret those sensations as a threat and thus cause more pain. These changes in the brain and central nervous system induce and maintain chronic pain symptoms. For chronic pain: pain sensations are activated in the brain; The brain continues to interpret all sensations from the problem areas as danger, even if there is no more tissue damage. This allows the pain centers in the brain to be activated more easily; Pain messages come from many different areas of the brain—areas that can control fight or fear responses, movement, emotions, problem solving, and learning. Almost every system in the body can be affected by chronic pain. The brain and nervous system continue to respond by causing you to continue feeling pain. This process increases sensations, emotions, or thoughts about the problem area. At this point, any sensory input can activate the pain centers. Just thinking about it or reading the word pain can trigger painful sensations. The pain is in the brain: To protect you, your brain decides to raise the alert level for sensations you’re feeling. How does it feel? How chronic pain feels varies from person to person; it’s very personal. How often it occurs, how severe it is, or how long it lasts is not predictable from one person to another. Common complaints associated with chronic pain include: It seems like “everything hurts everywhere.” Sudden stabbing pain may occur. It may seem like pain “has a mind of its own.” You feel symptoms even if you don’t do anything to cause them. It feels worse when you think about it. It feels worse when you experience stressful circumstances in your life. You may feel more anxious and depressed. You can feel your symptoms spreading from one area to another. You may feel tired and afraid to go about your normal activities. These symptoms often occur with chronic pain. However, this does not necessarily mean that your physical condition is deteriorating; it can only mean that your system has become more sensitive. Signs and Symptoms Research has shown that the following signs may be associated with chronic pain syndrome: Anxiety. It’s easy to fear increased pain when you suffer from chronic pain. As a result, you may start avoiding activities. You may find that you rely more on family members to help you with daily tasks. Body stiffness when trying to be more active. Stiffness can make you feel like your body is less able to perform daily activities. deconditioning. Not moving your body leads to less tolerance when you want to get more active. If you are inactive for a long time, the muscles weaken and shrink because they are not used. This can also increase your risk of falling. Decreased circulation. Lack of activity decreases the circulation of much-needed blood to your cells. Tissues in your body may not be getting as much oxygen as they need. As a result, they may not be as healthy as they can be. This can make you feel tired and lack energy. Weight gain and/or worsening of other medical conditions. Decreased activity can lead to unwanted weight gain. Extra pounds and inactivity can worsen symptoms of other conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Chronic pain conditions are also often associated with feelings of anxiety or depression. Increased use of medication. Chronic pain sufferers may tend to increase their medication over time in order to seek relief. Individual behaviors may include: Seeing a variety of doctors or health care providers and facilities to find relief. difficulties in job performance. Some people with chronic pain even seek disability. Avoidance of social situations or family members. If the pain persists, you may find that you experience bitterness, frustration, or depression. Some people report having suicidal thoughts. If you have these feelings, let your doctor know. This is important so that you can get appropriate medication to help you feel better. How is it diagnosed? Your physical therapist will conduct a thorough examination. He or she will: Ask specific questions about your past and present medical conditions and medications you are taking. Ask about your symptoms: location, intensity, how and when the pain occurs, and other questions to get a clear picture of your unique situation. Ask to fill out pain and function questionnaires to understand how the pain affects your daily life. Do tests and moves with you. The tests help identify problems with posture, flexibility, muscle strength, joint mobility, and movement. Special tests help rule out serious health problems, such as pressure on a nerve or an underlying condition. Observe how you use your body at home, at work, and in social/leisure activities. This information will help your therapist prescribe a program that improves your quality of life and keeps you in peak condition. Imaging tests such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are often not helpful in diagnosing the cause of chronic pain. However, if your physical therapist suspects that your pain might be caused by a serious underlying condition, they will refer you to your doctor for evaluation. Your physical therapist will work with your doctor to provide the best diagnosis and treatment for your chronic pain. How can a physical therapist help? Your physical therapist will work with you to educate you about chronic pain, find solutions to improve your quality of life, and get you moving again! He or she will help you improve your movement, teach you strategies for managing pain, and in many cases, relieve your pain. Not all chronic pain is the same. Your therapist evaluates your clinical examination and test results and creates an individual treatment plan that suits you best. Physiotherapy treatments can include: Education to improve your knowledge and understanding of chronic pain – how it occurs and what you can do about it. Your therapist will teach you how to manage your pain and help you get back to your normal daily activities. Strength and flexibility exercises to help you move more efficiently and with less discomfort. Your therapist will design a program of graded exercises for you—movements that gradually increase according to your ability. Graduated exercises will help you improve your coordination and movement, reduce the stress and strain on your body, and relieve your pain. Carefully instituting a graded exercise program will help your brain sense the problem area in your body without amplifying its danger messages. Manual therapy, which consists of specific, gentle, manual techniques that can be used to manipulate or mobilize tight joint structures and soft tissues. Manual therapy is used to increase range of motion, improve tissue quality and reduce pain. Posture awareness and body mechanics guidance to improve your posture and movement. This workout allows you to use your body more efficiently during activity and even at rest. Your therapist will help you adjust your movements at work or while doing chores or leisure activities to relieve your pain and improve your ability to function. The use of ice, heat, or electrical stimulation has not been shown to help with chronic pain. However, your physical therapist will determine if any of these treatments could benefit your unique condition. www.choosept.com, the official consumer website of the American Physical Therapy Association,© 2017

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A groin strain is a muscle injury that can be painful and takes time to heal. We learn more about how groin strains can occur, what symptoms they have, and how long a person can expect to recover. Groin strain affects a group of muscles at the top of the thigh. The muscle can be partially or fully torn, which can cause significant pain and discomfort. With a serious strain, physical therapy may be needed, and a person is often given exercises. Returning to a full range of motion should be gradual. Intense physical activity must be avoided for weeks or months. Fast facts on groin strain: The groin is the area of ​​the body where the abdomen meets the legs.

Treating a groin strain promptly can prevent it from getting worse and help it heal.

Recovery time depends on the severity of the groin strain.

Symptoms of a groin strain Share on Pinterest A groin strain is usually caused by a tear in the adductor longus muscle.

Credit: BruceBlaus, (2015, November 10) The main symptoms of a groin strain are pain and tenderness in the region. Other symptoms include: bruising or swelling on the inner thigh

Pain when a person lifts their knee

Pain when a person closes or opens their legs

The groin or inner thigh may feel warmer than usual

Muscles feel weak or tight

Limp or difficulty moving leg Pain can range from a dull ache to stabbing pains. The pain often gets worse when walking or moving the leg. A person may also experience spasms in the inner thigh muscles. Groin strain levels Muscles that move a part of the body, such as B. a leg or an arm, are called adductor muscles. Groin strain affects the adductor muscles in the inner thigh. A groin strain is usually a muscle tear from a clumsy or sudden movement. It often affects people who participate in active and performance-oriented physical sports. Groin strains are graded from 1 to 3, depending on how severe the injury is: Grade 1 causes some pain and tenderness, but there is little stretch or muscle tear.

Grade 2 causes pain, tenderness, weakness, and sometimes bruising.

Grade 3 is a severe muscle tear that causes bruising and severe pain.

How is it diagnosed? A groin strain can be diagnosed by a doctor or physical therapist. They will usually ask a few questions to learn more about the symptoms and the cause of the injury. A medical professional needs to know what activity a person was doing when they first experienced pain. They will also ask a person if they: Heard a popping sound when the injury happened

noticed swelling after the injury

Feeling pain when moving your leg The appointment usually includes a physical exam. This will likely involve feeling the muscle and gently moving the leg. In some cases further testing may be required. This could include an X-ray or MRI scan to check there is no other damage to the leg or pelvis.

Treatment Options Share on Pinterest A doctor or physical therapist can treat groin pain with simple exercises. A groin strain should be treated quickly, ideally within the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury. This is to reduce swelling and bleeding and relieve pain in the area. A person is often advised to rest their leg. Staying calm and trying not to walk or exercise can help prevent the injury from getting worse. For example, a person can raise the leg by placing it on a footstool. Gentle exercise should be done after 48 hours. Ice packs can be applied to the area. If an ice pack is not available, a bag of frozen vegetables can be used. Ice should not be placed directly on the skin as it can cause ice burns. An ice pack should be held on the area for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours. It may help to tie a bandage reasonably tightly around the top of the thigh. This is called compression and should be performed by a trained first responder whenever possible. Over-the-counter pain relievers can be taken to relieve discomfort. A physical therapist can put together a treatment program to help with recovery. This usually includes exercises that restore movement to the leg. A massage can help the soft tissues in the leg to recover.

Five Simple Exercises to Try A person should not exercise their leg excessively for the first 48 hours after the injury. After that, some simple exercises can help return you to a normal level of activity. 1. Floor Stretch Lie face up on the floor

Legs should be extended and straight

Slowly move the right leg to the side of the body

Bring the leg back to a central position

repeat with left leg 2. Chair lift Sit in a chair

Keeping your knee bent, lift your right foot to just below hip height

hold for a few seconds

Put your foot back on the ground

repeat with left leg 3. Lateral raises lying on right side of body

Support your body by leaning on your right elbow

put your left hand in front of your body for balance

Keeping your left leg straight, gently lift it up

Lie on your left side and repeat the exercise. 4. Squeeze your knees and sit in a chair

Place a soft ball or rolled towel between your knees

Gently squeeze the ball or towel for a few seconds

repeat a few times 5. Squat down face up on the floor

Legs should be extended and straight

Keeping your foot on the floor, bend your right leg

repeat with left leg. If the exercises cause more pain, a person should stop doing it and seek medical attention.

What are the main causes? Share on Pinterest A sudden, forceful movement can cause a muscle tear. Groin strain is usually caused by muscles in the groin area being contracted or stretched with too much force. In practice, this often happens in sports where the leg is twisted or moved quickly up or to the side. Some examples of movements that can cause a groin strain are: Jumping

twist the leg

vigorous kicking

sudden change of direction while running

lifting something heavy It can also happen when muscles are overused or not warmed up. This is one of the reasons it often affects athletes.

Prevention A groin strain cannot always be avoided, but there are some things that can help a person avoid this type of injury. Warming up the muscles with stretching or light exercise before exercising or physical activity can help prevent damage to the body. Maintain the same amount of exercise instead of engaging in intense activities every now and then. Professional athletes typically train year-round to maintain fitness. A person who does not exercise regularly or who is starting to exercise for the first time should proceed slowly. Going beyond what is comfortable or doing exercises that are too intense can lead to injury.

What is a pulled or tight groin? A groin strain is an injury or tear to one of the adductors of the thigh. These are the muscles on the inner thigh. Sudden movements usually trigger an acute groin strain, such as B. Kicking, turning to change direction while running, or jumping. Athletes are most at risk from this injury. Groin strains are not usually serious, although a severe strain can take a long time to recover.

Treatment Immediately after an injury, the goal of treating a groin strain is to reduce pain and swelling. The first few days of treatment follow the protocol for each muscle injury: Rest

Ice

compression

elevation

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Depending on the severity of your condition, you may need additional treatments to speed healing. These could include: Physical therapy

message therapy

warmth and stretch

Electrotherapy If you have a grade 3 strain, you may need surgery to repair the torn fibers, especially if the tendon is affected.

Recovery time The recovery time for a groin strain injury depends on the severity of the injury. In general, you can gauge the degree of your recovery based on your pain level. When your adductor muscle recovers, avoid activities that involve pain. Resume activities gradually. This allows your muscle to heal fully and prevents you from developing a recurrent groin strain injury. The time it takes you to recover also depends on your pre-injury fitness level. There is no definitive time frame as it is different for everyone. However, as a general guide, you can expect to rest for several weeks before becoming fully active again after a groin strain. Depending on your level of exposure, here are the estimated recovery times: Level 1: 2 to 3 weeks

2 to 3 weeks Grade 2: 2 to 3 months

2 to 3 months Grade 3: 4 months or more

Diagnosis To diagnose if you have a groin strain, your doctor will first want to know how your injury occurred and whether the circumstances suggest a groin strain. They will ask you about the activity you were doing when the injury happened, your symptoms, and if you have had a similar injury in the past. Next, your doctor will do a physical exam. This could include stretching your adductor muscles to see if the stretch is painful, as well as testing your leg’s range of motion. Any pain you feel during the exam will help your doctor determine where your injury is. In addition to identifying the location of the strain, your doctor will also assess how serious your injury is. There are three degrees of groin strains: Grade 1 A grade 1 groin strain occurs when the muscle is overstretched or torn and up to 5 percent of the muscle fibers are damaged. You may be able to walk without pain, but running, jumping, kicking, or stretching can be painful. Grade 2 A grade 2 groin strain is a tear that damages a significant percentage of muscle fibers. Walking can be difficult, and bringing your thighs together can also be painful. Grade 3 A grade 3 groin strain is a tear through most or all of the muscles or tendons. This usually causes sudden, severe pain at the time it occurs. Using the injured muscle will be painful. There is usually significant swelling and bruising. You may be able to feel a gap in the muscle when you touch the injury. Could it be something else? A groin strain can be confused with other problems. You may experience similar symptoms if you have: a stress fracture (a hairline fracture in the pubic bone or thighbone)

Hip bursitis (inflammation of the fluid sac in the hip joint)

a hip strain (inflammation or injury to the tendons or muscles of the hip) Your doctor will often start with an X-ray and then do an MRI to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other injuries.

Symptoms Symptoms of a groin strain can range from mild to severe, depending on the severity of the injury. These may include: pain (usually felt on the inner thigh but felt anywhere from the hip to the knee)

decreased thigh strength

swelling

bruises

Difficulty walking or running without pain

Cracking sound at the moment of injury

Causes and risk factors A groin strain is the most common in both professional and recreational athletes. It is often caused by overexertion of the adductor muscle when kicking, so it is more common in the athlete’s dominant leg. It can also be caused by spinning quickly while running, skating, or jumping. Movements that require your muscle to stretch and contract at the same time usually cause a groin strain. This puts stress on your muscle and can overstretch or tear it. Although exercise is the most common cause, a groin strain can also result from: Falls

lift heavy objects

other types of exercise, such as B. Resistance Training Any overuse of a muscle can result in long-term strain. The main risk factor for a groin strain is a sport that involves kicking, turning suddenly while running, and jumping. Frequent changes of direction are also a risk factor. The most common athletes to get a groin strain are soccer players and ice hockey players. However, athletes in many sports can be at risk. These include basketball, soccer, rugby, skating, tennis and martial arts. For athletes who play these sports, an additional risk factor is how much they train off-season. Athletes who stop training during the off-season are more likely to lose muscle strength and flexibility when not playing. This increases the risk of injury if they start exercising without first building muscle strength and flexibility. A previous groin strain is another risk factor, as the muscle is weakened from a previous injury.

Exercise It’s important to stop the activity or exercise that caused the groin strain immediately, but there are other exercises that can help heal it. It is best to do these exercises after the pain subsides. Four exercises that can help heal your groin and build strength are the hip adductor stretch, the hamstring wall stretch, the straight leg raise, and the resistance hip flexion. Learn step by step how to perform these exercises.

Groin strain or hernia? A hernia occurs when an organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue around it. A hernia occurs near the groin. It can be confused with a groin strain and vice versa. Pain in the groin area can be an indication of a groin strain or hernia. The main sign that you have a hernia, not a groin strain, is a lump or bumps on the side of the groin. You will be able to feel the bump, although at some angles it may disappear, e.g. B. when you lie down. If you suspect you have a hernia, see your doctor. Hernias can cause serious complications, and the only way to treat a hernia is with surgery.

Prevention The best way to prevent a groin strain is to avoid using the adductor muscle without proper training and preparation. Stretch and strengthen your adductor muscles regularly, especially if you’re playing an activity that’s likely to strain the groin area. If possible, exercise year-round. When you take a break from training, gradually work your way back to your previous activity level to avoid muscle strain.

Every lower body movement connects to your hips and pelvis. At the base of your pelvis are your adductor muscles, also known as your inner thighs. These muscles assist in adduction (pulling the legs together), flexion, and medial rotation of the legs.

because

A groin strain usually occurs from a sudden, awkward movement and is common in athletes who do a lot of jumping, kicking, spinning, sudden, or sideways movements. It can also be caused by lifting heavy objects or falling.

Types of tribes

A stretch occurs when the muscle is overstretched. There are 3 different types of groin strains ranging from a simple overstretching of the adductors to a partial or complete tear. Less severe loads (Grade 1) have no tears in the muscle fibers, moderate (Grade 2) have some minor tears, and the heaviest (Grade 3) tear more or all of the muscle fibers.

A doctor will diagnose a groin strain with a physical exam and tests such as an X-ray or MRI.

symptoms

pain when moving

swelling or bruising

limp

redness or warmth

About tight muscles or weakness

treatment

Immediately after the injury, the main goal is to reduce pain and swelling. To help this, it is recommended to use ice, rest, elevation and groin compression. Your doctor may also recommend anti-inflammatories or ibuprofen.

After the acute stage of the injury, your doctor may recommend gently stretching the area (see some examples of stretches below), applying heat to relax tight muscles, and may also recommend massage.

Sports massage can help at work to relax and stretch the groin and surrounding muscle groups to aid recovery and regain movement and balance.

It’s best to ease the way back to vigorous activity, as groin strains have a higher rate of recurrence.

groin strain

Below are three stretches that can help your adductors recover from the acute stage of injury.

Standing adductor stretch

A groin strain — also known as a groin strain or sprain — occurs when the muscles in your inner thigh become overstretched or torn.1 This can happen when they contract too quickly during activities like running, jumping, or changing direction.1 Although a groin strain is a common injury in athletes, it can happen to anyone. Although this injury can be quite painful, it usually heals on its own.1

Causes of a pulled groin muscle

Although it can occur as a result of many types of activity, this type of injury is common in athletes who participate in the following sports:

Soccer

Soccer

ice Hockey

Dance

This is because groin muscles can tear or stretch when twisting to avoid a tackle, quickly changing direction to catch a ball, or stretching beyond the muscles’ natural limits. Any kind of sudden movement in the groin area can potentially lead to strain or strain, especially if the muscles aren’t properly warmed up.2

Symptoms of a muscle strain in the groin area

If you pull a bar, you can expect some or all of the following symptoms1:

Pain when raising the knee

Pain when you use the adductor muscles that bring your legs together

Tenderness and discomfort in inner thigh

swelling or discoloration in the groin area

Loss of strength or function if the muscle is completely torn

At the moment the injury occurs, you may also feel a tearing sensation in the groin, followed by severe pain.1

Exercises to treat a pulled groin

After a few days of rest, when the pain subsides, you can speed up the process with stretching and strengthening exercises.3

stretching

Start with gentle static stretches and move on to dynamic stretches when you can do the static stretches without pain. Hold the position for 30 seconds for each static stretch. You should try to repeat this several times a day, according to exercise physiologist Elizabeth Quinn.4

Seated Short Groin Stretch: While sitting on the floor, bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together in front of you. With your back straight, gently push your knees toward the floor with your elbows until you feel a slight stretch in your inner thighs and hold the position. Long Seated Groin Stretch: From a seated position, extend both legs to the sides of your body to create a V-shape. With your back straight, gently step your hands forward as you lower your torso toward the floor and hold the position. Repeat this process while facing each leg. Hip Flexor Stretch: Start in a forward lunge position and lower your back knee to the floor. Keeping your shoulders over your hips, lean forward gently to stretch the muscles in front of your hips and hold the position. Repeat on the opposite side. Swinging leg stretch: Balance on one leg, swing the opposite leg back and forth without forcing it to go too high. The movement should feel relaxed and not strain the muscles in your hips and groin. Swing each leg for 10 reps.

strengthening exercises

When you’re ready to begin stretching exercises to help recover your strained groin muscles, you can also complement them with movements that strengthen muscles in the groin area. Start again with static exercises and then move on to dynamic exercises.3

Bent-Knee Adductor Exercise: Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Use a small medicine ball placed between the knees to create resistance and squeeze at five-second intervals. Repeat 10 reps, increasing the duration and number of reps as strength improves.

Straight-legged adductor exercise: Remain in a reclined position and extend your legs flat on the floor. Place the medicine ball between your ankles and repeat the press exercises above. Hip Adduction Against Gravity: Lie on your side on the floor with your upper ankle resting on the seat of a chair and your lower leg under the chair. Slowly raise the bottom leg to touch the bottom of the chair seat, pause, and then lower the leg back to the floor. Perform the exercise 10 times on each leg and repeat 3 times a day. Hip Adduction with Resistance Bands: As groin strength improves, you can add more resistance to the hip adduction band exercises. Fasten one end of a resistance band around your ankle and the other end around an object that doesn’t move. Stand on the opposite leg and position yourself so that as you gently swing your leg toward the midline of your body without bending your knee, the resistance of the band increases. Do 10 reps on each side, increasing the number as strength improves.

More ideas for treating groin strains

As with most other types of soft tissue injuries, treatment of groin muscle strain may include RICE therapy5:

Rest

Ice

compression

elevation

You can perform this treatment using traditional ice packs and compression bandages, or increase the effectiveness of therapeutic cold and compression with a cold therapy system.

If the pain is severe enough that cold therapy can’t adequately numb it, your doctor may recommend temporarily taking an over-the-counter pain reliever to reduce pain and swelling while your strained groin muscles recover.

After the initial swelling and inflammation has subsided, some people like to apply therapeutic heat. This can help loosen stiff muscles and increase range of motion.6

Massage is another popular way to reduce tension in the groin muscles while recovering from a pull or tear. This type of treatment is suitable after the area is no longer sensitive to touch, otherwise it may be too painful and uncomfortable.7

references

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Overview Hip pain at night can wake you up during the night or make it almost impossible to fall asleep. The pain can come from the position you sleep in, or it could be caused by something else. For example, if you don’t move much when you sleep, your joints will swell, which can lead to stiffness and pain. Read on to learn more about what can be causing your hip pain at night and how you can treat this symptom and sleep better.

Sleeping position If you regularly wake up at night with hip pain, it may be due to your sleeping habits or your mattress. A mattress that is too soft or too hard can cause pressure points that can lead to hip pain. Sleeping posture can also cause pain. Try sleeping on your back or, if you’re a side sleeper, sleep on the side that doesn’t hurt and place a pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned. Here you will find a large selection of knee pillows.

Bursitis Around your hip bones and other joints are small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joint as it moves. These sacs are called bursae. Bursitis occurs when these sacs become inflamed. Symptoms may include: Pain on the outside of your hip and thigh

Pain that starts as a stabbing pain and makes you cry out if the area is touched, and later develops into an ache

Pain when standing up after sitting for a long time, which may be worse if you walk a long time, climb a lot of stairs or squat for a while

Pain that is worse at night when you lie down or sleep on the affected hip People with bursitis do not have pain when standing.

Hip Tendonitis Tendons attach muscle to bone and allow movement. Hip tendinitis is when the tendon in the hip becomes inflamed. When you have hip tendinitis, your symptoms may include: a dull, deep pain in your groin, especially when you climb stairs or stand up

Pain in the buttocks if your hamstring is also inflamed

Sciatic Piriformis Syndrome Sciatic pain is a tingling and numbness that runs from the lower back to the buttocks and sometimes down the leg and into the foot. If you have sciatic piriformis syndrome, you may feel a burning sensation in your calf when trying to sleep. Or you have a throbbing pain in your foot that wakes you up or keeps you awake.

Pregnancy Pregnancy puts extra pressure on your spine and hips, especially during your third trimester. Wear supportive shoes during the day and take breaks to stretch after sitting for long periods. This can help reduce your risk of conditions like sciatica, which can lead to referred pain. At night, follow the side sleeping suggestions made earlier. You can also try rolling up a blanket and putting it behind your back so you can lean into the blanket while still sleeping on your side. If you prefer, you can use a pillow instead of a blanket. This can help provide extra support while sleeping. A pregnancy pillow can also help. Get one here.

When to See a Doctor If your hip pain regularly keeps you from sleeping or wakes you up at night, see your doctor. You can check for tenderness and swelling around your waist. They will also examine your hip’s range of motion for signs of arthritis and tendonitis. Reduced movement is a sign of arthritis. They may also take blood or fluid samples or order X-rays to rule out various medical conditions. Go to an emergency room or an emergency room (ER) if your hip pain is caused by an injury. Also, get medical help right away if you have any of these symptoms: a joint that looks deformed

Inability to move your leg or hip

Inability to put weight on the leg with the sore hip

severe pain or sudden swelling in your hip

Fever, chills, redness, or other signs of infection

The hip and groin together form an extremely complex area of ​​the body. Like the shoulder, your hip is a ball and socket joint that connects to the bones of the pelvis and the femur (top of the thigh bone). Alongside these myriad bones are numerous muscles, ligaments, and nerves that work together to allow you to move your hip.

Your hips are the center of motion between your lower and upper body, so strength and stability are a must when it comes to normal, healthy function. Your pelvis and hips are expected to dissipate high forces in the body – forces that occur when you walk or run. This force will flow down your spine, through your pelvis, into your hips, down your leg and finally to the floor. Not surprisingly, this area is easily affected by poor posture, exercise, or movement control.

When the hip and groin area is injured, it can result in other parts of the body trying to overcompensate to ensure movement and stability are maintained, inevitably leading to additional stress and injury to other joints.

Hip and groin injuries can include:

Causes by Mayo Clinic staff

The most common cause of groin pain is a strained muscle, tendon, or ligament, particularly in athletes who play sports like hockey, soccer, and football. Groin pain can appear immediately after an injury, or the pain can appear gradually over a period of weeks or even months. Groin pain can get worse with continued use of the injured area.

Less commonly, a bone injury or fracture, a hernia, or even kidney stones can cause groin pain. Although testicular pain and groin pain are different, sometimes a testicular condition can cause pain that spreads to the groin area.

Direct and indirect causes of groin pain can be:

The causes shown here are often associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other healthcare professional to get an accurate diagnosis.

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