Pulled or Strained Groin: Treatment, Recovery, and More

A groin strain is an injury to your groin muscles, which connect your thighs to your lower abdomen. This injury occurs when the muscle fibers are pulled or torn, causing pain and impacting mobility. Accidents, falls, awkward movements, or muscle overuse can cause groin strains. They can be mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), or severe (grade 3).

Groin strains are common among athletes. Researchers estimate that they account for 5-18% of sports injuries. Full recovery is expected, but lasting muscle weakness and a reduced range of motion may occur. Visit a primary care physician or sports medicine doctor if symptoms last over a month.

Pain in the inner thigh is the main symptom of a groin strain. This pain is usually sharp. It can flare up with physical activity but tends to be most severe immediately after the injury. The pain can affect one or both thighs, depending on the injury.

Groin strains can cause additional symptoms, such as:

• Mobility issues: You may be unable to move your injured leg or flex your hip. Lifting your leg, stepping forward, or making other movements may hurt or be difficult.
• Muscle weakness: Lack of strength in the legs and hips is a common sign.
• Muscle spasms: Groin strains can cause sudden muscle spasms, involuntary movements of one or more muscles.
• Swelling and bruising: In severe cases of groin strains, the damage to muscle fibers and tendons may cause swelling and bruising.

Groin strains occur when the muscles in your groin region are overstretched, damaged, or torn. Factors like sports injuries, repetitive strain injuries, blunt trauma, insufficient warmups, and muscle weakness may cause muscle strain.

Sports Injury

Groin strains often occur while playing sports. Sudden kicks, jumps, tackles, and awkward leg movements can damage groin muscles. The risk of groin strains is especially high among athletes who play sports with quick changes in direction or sudden bursts of speed. These sports include:

• Martial arts, such as Taekwondo, karate, and others
• Basketball
• Football
• Soccer
• Hockey
• Figure skating
• Sprinting, running, and other track events

Repetitive Strain Injury

Repetitive strain injuries occur when repeated movements damage muscles over long periods of time. Repeated use of groin muscles during sports or physical labor can cause a groin strain. These are more likely to cause long-lasting symptoms or reinjury if you continue to repeat the motion that caused the initial injury.

Blunt Trauma

Physical trauma to the groin or hip can stretch and tear muscles. Slips, falls, or other accidents are common causes of blunt trauma. This type of groin strain is more likely to cause bruising and swelling.

Insufficient Warmup

Poor warmups, or no warmup at all, before physical activity may lead to a groin strain. Tight muscles are more prone to damage and tearing from physical activity.

Mobility exercises and stretches can help loosen your muscles before a workout. Overstretching can lead to groin strain, so be careful not to stretch further than your muscles allow, especially if you lack flexibility in your hips, legs, and groin.

Muscle Weakness

Muscular weakness can cause groin strains. If your hip muscles are too weak, other muscles in the area must work harder to compensate. This can lead to tight, overused muscles in the region, making physical activity more likely to damage muscles.   

Insufficient or incomplete recovery from a groin strain or other injuries in the area can lead to muscle weakness, raising the risk of having another.

Mild groin strains often heal in about four weeks with rest and home care. Consider consulting your healthcare provider if the pain doesn’t resolve in a month. Seek immediate medical care if you experience severe groin pain.

Healthcare providers consider your medical history and ask about symptoms. They check the range of motion, strength, and discomfort level as you move. They may perform imaging to assess the scope of damage with an X-ray, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatments for groin strains aim to relieve pain, other symptoms, and support recovery. Home remedies and medications are effective for most cases of groin strains. Physical therapy and surgeries are only recommended with severe damage to the groin muscles.

Therapies for a groin strain may include:

• Rest: Avoid movements or activities that cause pain or discomfort in the early recovery stage. Get your healthcare provider’s approval before returning to sports.
• Icing: Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the affected area for 20 minutes every 3-4 hours during the first few days of recovery.
• Compression bandages: Place a compression bandage over the affected area to keep pressure on the injury and reduce swelling.
• Pain medications: Your healthcare provider may recommend over-the-counter pain medications. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Motrin, Advil (ibuprofen), or Aleve (naproxen) manage pain and swelling. Tylenol (acetaminophen) can reduce pain but does not reduce swelling.
• Stretching: After the first few days of recovery, your healthcare provider may recommend daily stretches that gently flex muscles in the area. This supports overall recovery.
• Physical therapy (PT): In severe cases, you may need to work with a physical therapist to learn strength exercises for your groin muscles and restore range of motion.  
• Surgery: For a severe groin strain, you may need surgery for a severe groin strain to repair torn muscles or reattach tendons and ligaments.

Some injuries are unavoidable, but you can take steps to reduce your risk of groin strains. Prevention methods include:

• Proper warmup and cooldown: Before exercising, warm up by walking, jogging, or doing gentle exercises. After a workout, cool down by stretching your hip, leg, and pelvic muscles.
• Strengthening: Add exercises to your regular workout routine that strengthen your hip adductors, pelvic muscles, and lower abdomen.
• Improved flexibility: Stretching routines, yoga, and other methods to improve pelvic and hip flexibility can increase mobility and reduce injury risk.
• Safe work environment: Modify your workspace to prevent trips and falls. Be mindful when lifting heavy objects, and take breaks from repeated movements to avoid strain injuries.

In most cases, groin strains resolve on their own. Some people may experience ongoing pain, lack of mobility, and muscle weakness. These chronic (long-lasting) symptoms are more likely to occur from repetitive strain injuries or reinjury of the groin. Recover fully before returning to physical activity and to prevent reinjury.

Groin strains occur when the groin muscles are damaged or torn. This can cause pain, limited mobility, muscle weakness, and swelling, among other symptoms. Groin strains can be caused by sudden or awkward movements, physical trauma, or muscle overuse. This condition is especially common among athletes.

Treatment for groin strains includes rest, icing, compressing the affected area, and taking pain medications. More severe cases may require physical therapy and surgery.