In our last blog, we discussed some facts about groin muscle strains including differentiating this injury from other types of groin pain, what causes the sports injury, who is at most risk for this injury, and how stubborn this injury can be when trying to recover from it.
We discussed how youth athletes and active adults who are involved in activities requiring running and cutting may be at a higher risk for injury as well as those who lack inner thigh strength & flexibility, have leg muscle imbalances, poor core muscle strength, and limited hip range of motion. (1-2)
Now that a sports injury specialist has diagnosed a groin strain, let’s discuss the absolute best treatment for a groin muscle strain. This all can depend on if this is your first groin injury or if you’ve had many groin injuries. It also depends on the grade of your injury (which we discuss in this article), where you are in the rehab process, and how long it has been since your injury.
Treatment For A Groin Muscle Strain in Saint Johns, Florida
At St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, we help active adults & youth athletes get out of pain quickly & rehabilitate their injuries so they can get back to doing what they love without limitation. Dr. Grant Speer is an expert with sports injuries and has an extensive background in diagnosing aches & pains, finding the root cause of the injury, pain reduction techniques, and rehabilitating the injured tissue to prevent further injury.
We have helped many people in Saint Johns, Florida with joint, muscle, and nerve pain and have found lasting solutions to help them stay active without pain!
Rehab For Each Phase of Recovery
For an acute groin injury that just occurred, the best treatment for a groin muscle strain is often just trying to control inflammation through soft tissue therapy (massage type techniques), stretching, light range of motion exercises, and anti-inflammatory medications if needed. Soft tissue therapy, such as cupping and myofascial release, can help loosen up tight muscles while light stretching and exercises can help maintain range of motion in the surrounding muscles and joints. Balance exercises, core strengthening exercises, and no weightbearing rehab can also be done. (2) The acute phase can last anywhere from one or two days or a few weeks depending on the grade of the injury.
The second or subacute phase is where more rehabilitation exercises can be done. Core exercises, balance exercises, and range of motion exercises can be progressed and you can start working on squats and lunges with a weight bearing load. Your sports injury specialist (chiropractor or physical therapist) will be monitoring your strength and mobility throughout this process and once you reach certain athletic goals/markers you can then progress to sports specific training which is the third phase.(2)
In the sports specific training phase, you will go through the same movements that are required out of your sport or activity in a controlled environment. You need to be able to do these movements pain-free for as many repetitions that your sport would require to be cleared to play. Other important milestones to reach are equal strength between the recovering groin and the non-injured groin and equaling out any muscle strength imbalances in the hips.(2)
For chronic groin injuries, passive therapies such as massage, soft tissue therapy, and ultrasound are not shown to be effective. These therapies have their place for acute groin injuries but are not recommended for those who have continually strained their groin muscle. (2)
The Problem With Groin Strains
Often times when it comes to muscle and joint pain, people think that whenever they are pain-free in their day-to-day life that they are ready to go back to their sport or activity full speed. This could not be further from the truth with groin muscle strains. These injuries must be rehabbed well and certain markers must be attained before going back to your original sport or activity at full capacity. This is the most common muscle injury to occur again and it often becomes a very chronic issue for many athletes and recreationally active adults. Make sure you seek out the best sports medicine provider in your area so that you have less of a chance of re-injury.
If you know someone in the Saint Johns, Florida area (Durbin Crossing, Aberdeen, RiverTown, Julington Creek Plantation, Beachwalk, Silverleaf) who is not able to live the active lifestyle that they want because of an injury or pain and could benefit from our thorough approach and comprehensive care, please share this post with them or send them our way!
We are conveniently located just south of Jacksonville in between CR 210 and Race Track Road, near where St. Johns Parkway and Longleaf Pine intersect! Right across the street from Patriot Oaks Academy in the 32259 zip code! Only 4 minutes from Durbin Park! We are committed to offering the best chiropractic care near you!
We help active adults & youth athletes get out of pain quickly & rehabilitate their injuries so they can get back to doing what they love pain-free! So, whether you’re looking for treatment for a groin muscle strain, making a lifestyle change, recover from chronic pain, or become a better athlete, our experts at St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance can help you improve.
Do you need a chiropractor in St. Johns, Florida? Contact or call/text us today at 904-217-7078 to schedule your appointment.
References
- Sedaghati P, Alizadeh MH, Shirzad E, Ardjmand A. Review of sport-induced groin injuries. Trauma Mon. 2013 Dec;18(3):107-12. doi: 10.5812/traumamon.12666. Epub 2013 Oct 14. PMID: 24350166; PMCID: PMC3864393.
- Tyler TF, Silvers HJ, Gerhardt MB, Nicholas SJ. Groin injuries in sports medicine. Sports Health. 2010 May;2(3):231-6. doi: 10.1177/1941738110366820. PMID: 23015943; PMCID: PMC3445110.
