When is a groin strain healed

It can also be caused by turning quickly while running, skating, or jumping. Movements that require your muscle to both lengthen and contract at the same time usually cause a groin strain. This puts stress on your muscle and can lead it to overstretch or tear. To diagnose whether you have a groin strain, your doctor will first want to know how your injury happened and whether the circumstances indicate a groin strain.

Next, your doctor will do a physical examination. This could involve stretching your adductor muscles to determine if stretching is painful, as well as testing the range of motion of your leg. In addition to identifying the location of the strain, your doctor will evaluate how serious your injury is. There are three degrees of groin strains:.

A grade 1 groin strain occurs when the muscle is overstretched or torn, damaging up to 5 percent of the muscle fibers. You may be able to walk without pain, but running, jumping, kicking, or stretching may be painful. A grade 2 groin strain is a tear that damages a significant percentage of the muscle fibers. This might be painful enough to make walking difficult. It will be painful to bring your thighs together.

A grade 3 groin strain is a tear that goes through most or all of the muscle or tendon. This usually causes a sudden, severe pain at the time when it happens. Using the injured muscle at all will be painful. You may be able to feel a gap in the muscle when you touch the injury.

Your doctor will often start with an X-ray and follow up with an MRI to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other injuries. Immediately after injury, the goal of treatment for a groin strain is to reduce pain and swelling. The first few days of treatment follow the protocol for any muscle injury :.

Depending on the severity of your strain, you may need additional treatments to speed healing. These could include:. If you have a grade 3 strain, you may need surgery to repair the torn fibers, especially where the tendon is involved. These imaging tests provide detailed pictures of the affected area. They help your doctor confirm the diagnosis, determine the severity of your injury, and help define best course of treatment. Groin strains generally heal on their own.

However there are steps you can take to reduce pain and swelling. Your doctor may recommend a number of options including:.

After your pain and swelling have subsided, your doctor may also recommend stretching and strengthening exercises to extend your range of motion and help you have a quicker recovery. Groin strains are almost always treated non-surgically. Surgery for this type of injury is rarely recommended. Recovery time after a groin strain depends upon the severity of the strain and how much damage was done to the abductor muscle.

Your doctor can guide you on when you can return to your normal level of physical activity. Give yourself the necessary time to fully heal from your injury before you return to sports.

Pushing yourself too soon can lead to re-injury and an even longer recovery time. This field may be seen by: Everyone Change. This field may be seen by: Everyone. Already have an account? Log in ». Username or Email Address. Remember Me. What is the best mobile phone number for your Certified Athletic Trainer to connect with you via text message?

Thank you for contacting us! References Antonios A. Osteitis pubis in elite athletes: Diagnostic and therapeutic approach. World Journal of Orthopedics. Baker L. Groin strain. Published August 15, Rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries of the hip and pelvis. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. The effects of cold water immersion and active recovery on inflammation and cell stress responses in human skeletal muscle after resistance exercise.

The Journal of Physiology. Chandler S. The effect of temperature on cell membranes. Published March 13, Previous Post Next Post. Related Articles.