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Preventing Groin Injuries: Warm-up, Flexibility and Strength

Posted February 23, 2008 at 04:00 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, Strength Training, Injuries & Rehab, Alt. Therapies, His Health, Physical Health

There’s nothing worse than pulling a groin muscle. Especially true for men, the groin (the junction between your legs and your torso) is vulnerable to a lot of different injuries such as groin pull, groin strain, hernias, stress fractures and avulsion fractures. This article will give you an idea as to what a groin pull is, and then will give you some stretches you can do to treat and prevent another groin pull.

First, let’s talk about what a groin pull actually is. A groin pull can range from a slight stretching, to a complete tear of the muscles that attach the pelvis bone to the thigh (femur) bone.

A groin pull specifically affects the adductor muscles. If you ever took an anatomy test (or a Latin class), “adduction” means “to, or toward” the midline of the body. So, the goin muscles work to pull your legs together. The adductor muscles consist of the following: adductor brevis, adductor magnus and adductor longus (as seen in the picture). The adductor lungus (which, in the picture has been cut so you can see the muscles underneath) is the most common muscle that people pull or strain during athletic activities such as basketball, hockey, football and soccer.

Now, what causes these muscles to pull? Sports or activities that require a lot of running or rapid change in direction, also things like kicking and jumping and slowing down or speeding up quickly. Also, any movement that puts sudden pressure on the area (such as falling or landing awkwardly).

Prevention can be multifaceted. Like preventing other muscle injuries, variables such as a thorough warm-up (very important!), flexibility and strength play important roles. Flexibility is key. If you have stiff muscles and joints, you are going to be susceptible to various muscle injuries. Finally, by incorporating some strengthening exercises into your routine, you can help prevent these muscles from pulling.

To prevent groin pulls, make sure you have a proper warm-up, and incorporate these stretches into your daily routine:

Groin and hamstring stretch:
Simply sit on the floor with your legs extended forward and spread sideways as far as possible. Turn your toes upward, and bend forward at the waist to grasp your feet, flexibility permitting, or else your ankles. Bring your forehead as close to the floor as pain and flexibility permit, and hold this position for about 15 seconds, before returning to the starting position and resting for a short period. Perform this sequence about 10 times after a workout is over.

Groin stretch:
Sit on the floor with your head up and your back straight. Then, flex your knees and bring the soles of your feet together. Place your hands on your knees, and press your knees gently toward the floor as far as flexibility and pain permit. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, and then return to start position, resting briefly. Also perform this sequence 10 times after workouts.

If you find that you have tenderness in the goin area, there’s a chance you may have sprained or pulled one of these muscles. If it hurts very badly and you find that you can’t walk, you should probably contact your athletic trainer or (if you are not a competitive athlete), contact your physician.

If you can walk and you don’t think it’s that bad, try resting and icing the area intermittently for 20 minutes, 6-8 times daily for the first few days. Then, gradually work your way back into walking, then jogging lightly, and incorporating some strengthening exercises (listed below, taken from SportInjuryBulletin.com), and try gradually working your way back into your sport or activity. If you (at any time) experience pain, you should stop what you’re doing.

Inward leg presses
Simply sit on the floor, and place a volleyball, soccer ball, basketball, medicine ball, or even a large, tightly rolled towel between your knees. Squeeze your knees together as forcefully as possible (pain permitting). Hold this position for 15 seconds, return to the start position, and rest for a few seconds before repeating nine more times.

Indian-hop:
For 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, and then Indian-hop for 45 more seconds. To Indian-hop, jog for a few strides and then jog diagonally to the right with your right foot. When your right foot makes contact with the ground, hop in place.. When your right foot comes down to earth from this single hop, explosively hop diagonally to the left, landing on your left foot. When your left foot strikes terra firma, hop once in place and then explode diagonally to the right. Your right foot, will then hit, hop, explode diagonally to the left (not literally), and so on. Stay relaxed at all times as you carry out this drill; try to move in a coordinated and rhythmic manner. Stop the exercise if groin discomfort arises. Carry out this exercise several times a week, but only after a thorough warm-up.

One-leg squats on a wobble board
To do these, stand with your left foot forward and your right foot back, with your feet about one shin-length apart (they should be hip-width apart from side to side). Your left foot should be securely positioned in the centre of a wobble board which is set so that the instability occurs in a lateral plane (ie, from side to side). Place the toes of your right foot on a block or step which is six to eight inches high. Most of your weight should be directed through the heel to mid-portion of your left foot. Now, bend the left leg and lower your body until your left knee reaches an angle of 90 degrees between the thigh and lower leg, at the same time resisting the tendency of the wobble board to rock from side to side. Then, return to the starting position, maintaining upright posture with your trunk and holding your hands at your sides. Complete 12 reps, and then do the same thing with your right foot forward and your left foot back. Finally, carry out one more set with each leg (you should use this exercise four to five times per week, always following appropriate warm-up).

If a groin pull keeps you away from training for more than a few days, maintain your cardiovascular fitness by swimming freestyle or cycling fairly intensely (cycling should not aggravate groin conditions, provided the bike seat is not set too high). Once you are symptom-free, you can resume regular training, using the above stretches and exercises on a regular basis.

Research sources and for more information: [strengthcats.com]; [picture1]; [picture2]

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