6-Exercises to Avoid Groin Pain/Pulls

Experiencing groin pain? Try out these stretches and exercises to help ease your pain! Groin pain is often a result of a muscle, tendon, or ligament strain. It is commonly seen in athletes who participate in in physical contact sports/activity, including repetitive changes in direction, kicking, or running. Stretching and strengthening the hip musculature, as well as the abdominals, can help decrease your chances of injury and/or recurrence. 

Stretches 

Side lunge stretch 

• Start with feet shoulder width apart.

• Take a step to the side with 1 leg (keeping other leg stationary) and slowly lower your body into a side lunge.

• The side lunge focuses on both strengthening and stretching the groin muscles, esp. the adductor muscle group.

• Hold stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on other leg. 

½ kneel stretch with trunk rotation 

• Start in ½ kneel position, one leg in front assuring your knee is 90 degrees bent and facing forward and other leg dropped to the floor just underneath the hip.

• Squeeze your glutes and slowly shift your hips forward (should feel a stretch on the front of lower leg).

• Then take the arm of the same side of front leg, place it inside of the knee and gentle press into your knee as you rotate your trunk (upper body) towards the opposite direction (facing away from the top leg).

• Hold stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on other leg. 

Exercises 

Static adduction against ball (adds) 

• Start by lying flat on your back with legs straight or bent.

• Place a ball/folded pillow in between both knees. Squeeze the ball/pillow for 10 sec hold and then relax without letting the ball/pillow drop to the floor.

• If legs are straight out, place the ball in between both ankles.

• Knees bent works on the short adductor muscle group, while straight legs work on long adductor muscle group. 

Straight leg raises (hip flex, abd, abs)

• Start by lying flat on your back with one knee bent or straight.

• Keeping your core engaged, lift your other leg up keeping your knee straight. Back and pelvis should maintain flat against the floor.

• Hold for 3-5 secs and slowly lower the leg down. T

• he straight leg raise engages your hip flexors, hip abductors, and abdominals. 

Slider adductor eccentric

• Start in a tall kneeling position. Extend one leg out straight and place foot on towel/slider, while keeping other leg bent.

Slider adductor eccentric cont’d

• Maintaining the core engaged and back straight, slowly slide your leg out until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh.

• Hold for 2-3 seconds and pull the leg back in toward the lower leg.

• This exercise focuses on concentric and eccentric loading to the adductor group muscle. 

Eccentric Adduction (Copenhagen plank)

• Start by placing a chair at the end of your feet or with your knee bent as in the picture. Lay on your side with bottom leg bent to 90 degrees and top leg straight out on top of the chair.

Eccentric Adduction (Copenhagen plank) 

• Maintain both hips and trunk aligned straight, plank up on forearm by lifting hips up to midline.

• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on other side.

• To increase challenge, lower leg can be straightened out, and/or raise bottom leg and hold. 

More on the importance of ADDUCTOR strength in the next blog post!

If pain still persists after trying out these stretches or exercises, then it’s time to see a physical therapist! A physical therapist can assist by examining and evaluating the cause of your symptoms, as well as provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan to address your goals and needs! Don’t let groin pain prevent you from participating in activities that you love! 

Co-written by Student PT: Caroline Castro