groin strain injury

Once it's warm, it doesn't hurt "too much"?  

You're beyond the limit that I'd set for myself.     If it didn't hurt at all when warm and running, then OK... I'd probably carry on. But I suspect you should give yourself a week off - finding some gym equipment to keep up your cardio, without hurting the groin.

The best advice I ever got, was NOT to static stretch the groin before sport...  but to gently warm up, and after a minute or two, do some dynamic movement of the upper leg to specifically warm the groin area...  but not stretching in the traditional sense.    Then, after the exercise... that's the time to do some static stretching.  You're not stretching cold muscles. Good luck with it Craig...  be sensilbe!

I too have a slight groin strain, but which goes away almost completely after a few easy minutes running. So do I rest completely or run easy and see how it goes (which is what I have done for a few weeks)? And does deep heat address the cause or just the symptoms?

But I'm guessing, Craig , that easing off a bit is a good idea.

Hi Crag & lunchtime runner,

I'd be interested to hear how you both get on. Craig - Well done for the 5k pb. The 10k is still 4 weeks away, so you may still have time for the injury to heal, but only you know what is best. I've had intermittent pain, more towards the hip region & it matches the pain pattern you describe - i.e after warming up the pain goes, only to return again once exercise stops.

Have had a week off running & felt fine doing a long walk & using cross trainer, but pain returned after running 3 miles on grass.

Have just been referred to NHS physio & hope to get a diagnosis - don't think it's too serious - I'm never in enough pain to limp or alter my gait.

Hope those strains all heal soon! good luck everyone.

Will keep you posted, I have rested now completely for 2 whole days and its driving me mad, will rest again from running tomorrow but will get out on my bike Friday afternoon to keep fit etc... fingers crossed no running this week will help and get me back on the right track.

Let me know how you get on at the physio, I will be interested as to what they say to you.

Seems like this is a very common problem, at least im not on my own... some very good feed back from this forum. Thanks everyone

rest up for a week then get back out there fully healed

dont keep running iff your injured! thats stupid

straight to the point but fair enough

Avit - good point - may take a little longer than a week though. I rested for 7 days & it wasnt quite enough.

Had sports massage last night & feeling much better today....but will be disciplined & give it a few more days before running again.

Craig - good luck with the injury - can highly recommend a sports massage if you can access one at a decent price. hope the cycling goes well friday (think that works the quads more, but even so take it steady if possible).

all the best everyone

avit wrote (see)

rest up for a week then get back out there fully healed

dont keep running iff your injured! thats stupid

This is quite possibly true for most people.... and probably the professional advice.  But twice in my life, I've had injuries that got slowly better in 2-4 weeks, then hit a plateau.  I waited and waited, lost patience after xx months... and just went ahead and played football with them, and hey presto, they disappeared completely within 1 or 2 games.

Maybe coincidence, maybe just my body, but that experience affects how I deal with niggles now.

Hi again all..

Just want to say its been over a month now since my injury and I am still suffering slightly.. I have managed a couple of 10k distances and seem to be on the mend but for anyone new out there that picks up an injury the only advice I can give you is rest as much as you can. Do not make the same mistake as me and keep running on it as it will only cause more pain... an injury is not like a stitch where you can just run it off and all will be fine in the morning.

Before every run now I always take the time to warm up correctly..

Craig a friend of mine has torn his groin, came back too soon and now has got to the stage where he can't even walk without aggravating it. Get physio advice, rest it, but whatever you do, don't race on it!!

Just be careful mate, the best thing in the first instance is RICE.

I don't want to unduly alarm you, but given what i've went through I don't really see how a physio can say with much certainty that a groin strain is just that. There are a number of interlinking groin / hip conditions, and i think they just start out with the most straighforward, treat that, and if it doesn't heal, move onto the next serious option.

I had a bad experience with an ineffectual/idiotic physio, but the 2nd one i went to was very good.

The other thing you can do after RICE is begin to work hard on your core - pilates and also glute work. A strong core gets all the muscle in that area firing evenly and lessening the risk of overcompensation/overload. A good physio will assess your core as part of considering your groin injury. Needless to say my first physio hadn't a baldy notion about core.

Also, a physio will consider if there is any scar tissue on your adductors which will need to be frictioned off before much recovery can take place.

Good luck

I've been out for six weeks now with a groin injury and it's still bothering me.

I went to the GP and was told it wasn't a hernia, so get out my face and stop bothering me. I've been to the physio and been given core work to do and some gentle walk/jog stuff for the last week, but I'm finding a gentle jog for more than a minute and I get pain. The following day my lower abdomen is painful.

How long has taken anyone on here to fully recover from this to getting back to running injury free?

There's some good advice on here.   Core work will defineatly help in the mid/long term and a good sports/deep tissue massage should loosen muscles off.  Everyones groin can tighten for different reasons.  In runners one of the main causes is instability of the pelvis.    i.e. the pelvis tilting and/or rotating excessively when running. 

Depending on your posture/body type/running style/old injuries different muscles will tighten up to compensate.    Adductors are a fav because they are actually a strong 'limiter' of tilting AND rotating of the pelvis around the hips when running and they get overworked.

Hip flexors will nearly always be tight (especially if you've got a driving or desk job!) so make sure you are stretching those.

Strengthening core, Gluts Med & Min and hamstrings will all help to take pressure of groin.